A Not So Normal Fifth Year
by usmccanthem
Summary: WIP! Anna Hall is back for her fifth year with her two best friends, Lily and Louis. However, this year will be different from the rest with new relationships, out of control hormones and Smith dogging their footsteps. Just how will their year turn out? Warnings: Various OC's, teen language and fluff! ASP/OC
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:**

"_Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The hulking figure growled out as he stalked toward the seven differently sized books that were on the steel table with a shrouded figure sitting on the opposite side of where he was._

"_Books," a prim and proper woman's voice stated._

"_Books, and what can you tell me about these books?" The hulking man, as that was all he could be, rudely asked._

"_They are mine, not yours," She answers as she pushes back her hood, showing the face of J.K. Rowling. "I own the copyright."_

"_Well lady," he grinned, which sent a shiver down her spine. "That's been contested hasn't it?"_

_She glared at him defiantly, though couldn't quite meet his eye, "Either way it isn't yours."_

"_Too right," he said with a pinch of regret. "Pity, I could've made millions."_

* * *

**Authors Note:**

I've finally decided to go ahead and post this up as the first chapter for this fic. I was just worried that no one would read the prequel for it and thus miss a large bit of information. Sorry if this causes any confusion for anyone, as that wasn't my intention.

Enjoy!

USMCcAnthem

* * *

**Starting Something Not So Normal**

Anna was not what one would call a 'normal' girl, or even average. She never really did things half way – she loved you or hated you, was pissed or joyful – and she never seemed to grasp the concept of narrow-mindedness that holds many back. This meant that she could never be normal, peculiar maybe, but not normal. She may have been normal once upon a time, like before her eleventh summer, but even that is contested. Then again, one cannot be normal with parents like hers.

Now, don't go thinking bad things about them. She's not beaten or starved or particularly neglected (unless you count the time when her mom lost her in Superstore when she was four, but only Anna counts that), nope no drug abuse or alcoholics, no prostitutes or sugar-daddies. No, her parents were normal in some sense of the word, they worked for a living (mom being a dental assistant and her father a cop, on graveyard shift), they liked karaoke, and to hunt ghosts – okay, the last part is a little odd, but everyone has their quirks.

Their names were Kathy and Ken Hall, one from Canada and the other from Northern England, and they met each other during a NATO training exercise in Greenland – Kathy still has the trolls to prove it, apparently they like trolls – and got engaged after knowing each other for two weeks... yes, two weeks, which is where the insanity starts. They toured each other's home, hitting the huge tourist destinations (though Ken never did get to see Niagara Falls, but he never did understand the fact that he only had _three_ days left and he was in British Columbia and Niagara Falls was on the opposite side of the _continent_ in Ontario) and then baby Anna pops out just nine months after the slightly drunken wedding (silly best man got Ken plastered the night before the wedding, some interesting pictures resulted from it).

Okay, okay, now one would wonder just exactly how this ties into Anna being just a little off her rocker, as her parents had normal jobs, semi-normal hobbies (again quirks) and maybe got engaged a little too quickly, but they're still together and love Anna, so what happened? Well the odd sense of humor that Kathy has (involves sayings like "gayer than a popcorn fart"1 and "as useless as tits on a bull"2) and Kens penchant to becoming obsessed over one thing, thus the creation of The Canadian Paranormal Society3 which Anna had fun helping out with, especially when she helped her dad try to find things in the EVP's4 that he had gathered on investigations. These actions caused Anna to have a weird sense of what is funny and believe that anything is real, making her dive into fantasy and sci-fi novels and videos to learn more about what is real and what is not. She believed in myths like the loch Ness monster and big foot and was almost always day dreaming.

This caused Kathy to worry about her daughter, as even though her husband was quite into the oddity and weird did not mean that she was. Weird sayings or not, she was quite straight and narrow all-in-all. It didn't help her worries about her daughter when she found out that she was being verbally bullied by one of the other girls in school and had nearly no friends. It really didn't help that Anna liked school way too much for a kid or that she talked to fairies in the bushes (she said they were real, but no one believed her), maybe it was that or the fact that odd things happened around her since she was young. Kathy would always swear that Anna could summon her stuffed toys to her, no matter where they were, or when the girl who bullied her was pulled into an atomic wedgie when no one was around her or when Anna had wanted the lead on a song when she was in choir and her competition suddenly started croaking whenever she sang, or when the hedge trimmers start to trim the hedge all on its own and made it look like a cat, which Kathy swore meowed at her once. However, Kathy never made one move to stop it, or to try and change her daughters' behavior, so she continued to act oddly until that fateful day in June.

That day changed everything and nothing. It verified to Anna that everything she believed was, in fact, true or at least most of it. It made Ken want to go find where there were actual ghosts, and to know that he had Magicals5 in his family. It placated Kathy's worries over her daughter being made fun of for life and never achieving anything (even though Anna got straight A's) or to be a nut job forever.

It was the day she got her letter.

It was the day that Anna found out she was a witch.

The letter, which five years later was pinned to the corkboard in her room, went like this:

oOoOo

_Dear Miss A. Hall,_

_We are pleased to announce that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this fall. Hogwarts is the premier school for magic in the world, located on the British Isles, but will not be found on any map. As a citizen from the British Isles and/or Canada, you are automatically given a letter of acceptance to the school. It is in the hope that you will begin and end your schooling here, but please write back if you have already chosen another school of witchcraft and wizardry to attend so that you will be removed from our lists._

_However, as to most of those who live in the Muggle (non-magicals) or Mundane world this will be hard for you and/or your family to believe, so a representative of the ministry will arrive at your place at 10 o'clock Wednesday evening. If that is not acceptable please write on the parchment when would be the best available time for clarification. Enclosed in this envelope is a brochure for "Muggle Students" which gives students a chance to understand the wizarding world until they get to Hogwarts where they will take a mandatory Wizarding Studies Course._

_Any questions will be taken by the Ministry Representative, who will take your acceptance or denial to attend Hogwarts._

_Awaitng diligently for your reply,_

_Dean Thomas_

_Deputy Headmaster_

_Head of Gryffindor House_

_Order of Merlin Class Three_

oOoOo

Both Ken and Anna were hyped for days before the meeting with the representative, already believing that the letter was true (Anna thought that someone with that many titles couldn't be lying), but Kathy was sceptical and kept on trying to stop her daughter from getting too hyped up about what may be a joke.

Then of course Wednesday came around. Anna was jittery since she had woken up at six, she wouldn't sit still and ended up talking to the fairies in disjointed sentences for two hours when Kathy had finally had enough with her constant chattering and sent her outside. Ken was very much like his daughter, but instead he was compiling the best evidence he had of his ghost hunting and trying to get his wife to talk about how the representative was going to produce proof that magic is real. Kathy was just trying to deal with the stress that came from talking to hyper people for too long and hoping that it wasn't a hoax.

She learned by lunch that it was indeed true.

oOoOo

"Mom, a person just popped out of nowhere into our backyard!" Anna yelled to her mom as she waved jauntily at the oddly dressed new comer. "Hi, my names Anna, what's yours?" She asked cheerfully, extending her hand out to the stranger.

"Names McGuffin luv, James McGuffin. I'm the ministry representative," the short man answered her in English accent, though different from her fathers. Anna noticed, now that she was no longer talking to a stranger, that he was dressed funny. It looked like he was wearing a blue shapeless dress with long sleeves.

"Why are you dressed so funny James? Do I have to dress like that?" Anna's nose wrinkled at the thought of wearing such horrid clothes. She wasn't much of a girly girl, and in fact wore horrible outfits, like the yellow shirt and purple tights she was wearing now, but the thing he was wearing looked awful.

"Eh? What's so wrong with my cloak, you're the funny one I tell ya."

Anna was about to retort when her mother came out the house and called them both in. Once the satisfactory introductions were made, and Ken asked why James was dressed so funny (to which he muttered, "I do not dress funny! Silly muggles."), they settled in to discuss if the magical world was real.

"Okay, so these two," Kathy pointed at the two trouble makers on either side of her (Ken and Anna), "believe that magic is real with no demonstration, but I need one just to be sure."

"No problem Misses, your much better than most of the Muggle's I meet, some try to kill with those shun thingies." James said kindly, not noticing the way Ken removed his hand from the holster on his hip that held his nine mil pistol (he may believe in magic but that doesn't mean this man isn't a threat to his daughter). No one made a move to correct what he said. "Well," he started as he took out a short stick, "this is a wand, my wand specifically, and you'll get one when you go to Diagon Alley."

Anna nodded as she remembered reading about Diagon Alley in her Muggle Student Packet.

"Ah, so the basic stuff yes. Okay, _wingardium leviosa._" He intoned as he pointed to the coffee table that sat between them. It lifted a couple inches off the ground and Anna and Ken both check to make sure there were no wires or anything before they sat back down and grinned at each other.

"Wow," was all Kathy could say, now with proof that magic existed, especially when he continued to turn the coffee table into a pig, and dusted the whole living room with just a sweep of his wand.

"Awesome," Anna said as she saw the green hair her dad sported for a couple seconds before James turned it back.

Once the magic show was done the adults gathered together while Anna went outside to tell her fairy friends what she just saw. Both of her parents knew that they could not deny her the chance to go to Hogwarts and learn to do what James McGuffin just did, but it would certainly be hard on their budget. They talked of different travelling options, and found that making her fly there and back every year was cheaper than any of the magical methods, and that they wouldn't get to have her during the school year (for things like Easter and Christmas), and were arranging for Ken's brother Derrik and his wife to take them in. They also learned that the cost for room and board was pretty expensive and that they would need to take out a loan from the bank to even consider covering it. James left just before lunch and after that day, it all passed in a blur with reserving seats on the plane to getting a hotel room near London, as they were going shopping on the 30th of August so that they wouldn't have to spend too much time in England, and because Ken and Kathy wanted to be there to set her off at the station without booking off too much time.

oOoOo

The flight over went by quickly, or as quickly as a nine hour flight can, as the family of three waited with anticipation for the day of shopping the next day. When they got to their hotel, they took a quick nap before getting up an hour before Minerva "Call me McGonagall" McGonagall would pick them up for shopping. When the time came they went downstairs to see the funnily dressed woman (she was wearing one of the odd cloaks like James, except hers was green) with steel gray hair pulled tight into a bun and her face in a stern expression. She introduced herself as the Headmistress (who was only escorting them due to the fact that she had lost a bet against her Deputy during Staff Poker night), which shocked Kathy and made Ken and Anna quite somber6 before they went back to their happy go lucky attitudes. With that done they followed her out of the hotel.

Anna and her parents walked the crowded London streets after McGonagall who was leading them toward what she had called in her Scottish accent "The Leaky Cauldron."

The three family members had heard of such a place during the Ministry Representative visit and in the Muggle Student Packet, but Ken and Anna were excited to see the pub. They had different reasons for being excited, for Ken he wanted to see, smell and taste the difference of a wizarding pub to the English pubs he had visited as a youth (and maybe see a ghost); for Anna she was just excited to finally be allowed into a pub – as anyone under 19 wasn't allowed in pubs in BC – and it would be her first memory of one, and let's not forget that this was the entrance into the magical shopping center in England. Kathy however, was of no rush to enter the pub, seeing as she hadn't desired to enter one since the Cherry Brandy incident in '90 and the fact that she knew that the magical world would take her daughter away from her. So she walked closer to the back of the group, jostled from side to side on the crowded London streets. She hoped that this McGonagall woman knew where she was going, as she didn't wish to be lost in such a populous and foreign city, even if she had been to London before, it had gotten much more crowded since then.

Suddenly McGonagall stopped, looking outlandish against the drab colours that the people around her wore, in front of a dilapidated building. Anna gasped, as she did not see what her parents saw. To her, the dilapidated building was slightly shabby, but seeming to be teeming with energy. It was like a pulse of... force that came off the building that gave it an aura of Magic. She and her parents joined McGonagall in front of the building, Ken and Kathy looking bewildered, and Anna seeming to be awestruck.

McGonagall waved a hand toward the door and said with her brogue, "Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron, please, step in." She pushed open the door and held it for the family.

Ken and Kathy finally understood the look of awe on their daughters' face as they were bombarded with a raucous of laughter, shouts and chatter. As they followed their young daughter into the pub they were engulfed in the cloud of smoke that hung in the air, not exactly sanitary, but it was a part of the pub. It held a certain place in Ken's heart to see everyone sitting around, discussing this, that and the other over a pint of God knows what that wizards drink. No Guinness was served here, though an amber liquid was served to everyone, even kids, which made the family wonder what it was, and how good it was if nearly everyone was drinking it.

Anna saw all different types of people and, well, things she didn't know. They were all different shapes and colours and disfigurements. She smiled at the Irish, if she got her accents right, family that had turned to see the new comers. They smiled politely back at her, the young boy with light brown hair and a large smile sitting at the table giving her a jaunty wave before turning back to their conversation.

"Follow me," the enigmatic witch beckoned to the family. She wove through the crowd until she walked into what seemed a back closet. The three were confused, they knew it was the entrance to Diagon Alley, but didn't really understand why the entrance had to be hidden when the pub was hidden. To each their own, Ken thought and followed the woman while his two ladies followed close behind.

The closet was small, but fit them all quite fine, as McGonagall, Kathy and Anna were quite small. The way they were facing was made of brick, while the rest were plaster and was just as dingy, if not more so, as the pub they had just left. Because Anna was behind McGonagall, she did not see the witch tap her wand on the bricks, at just the right spot, but she did see the bricks moving at their own accord. It surreal to watch as the bricks moved to form an archway. She peeked from behind the folds of McGonagall's cloak to see the Alleyway beyond, and it was much more spectacular than she thought it would be.

It was packed with people; almost all of them in multicoloured cloaks (funny things they are) like McGonagall's; though there were none quite as green or blue as James McGuffin's. They all moved with a purpose in and out through the different shops. The shops were _really_ cool to Anna: they all looked like they were from the dark ages (wow what progress). The stores second floors leaned over the streets, jutting out at random here and there, and the store fronts boasted bright, icky and beautiful wares. She could see one store that had a whole bunch of owls – Anna loved owls with a passion, but knew that she wouldn't be able to get one – outside of it, and another that was bright purple and held bright posters that moved, changing from one ad to another. Kathy found the moving pictures creepy, as though they had ways of doing it in the muggle world, she could help freaking out as the pictures seemed to have a mind of their own, moving and dancing, all the same but different.

"This is amazing," Anna whispered in shock. It was almost an overload to feel so much magic at once; it was like putting your finger into an electrical socket (which she did when she was eight) and getting shocked. She was used to being around Faeries as they are quite magical, but to have century's worth of history of magic using in one place overwhelmed her senses before she could get a handle on them. She tugged at her lip in worry, fretting that she wouldn't be able to fit in such a fantastic world as she saw a tendril of pink magic weaving with a green band in the air. She knew that she stood out in her normal clothes, a baggy red t-shirt with a white Canadian flag on it, black leggings which bagged in odd places and scuffed black Keds. She also knew from James that feeling and seeing magic was certainly not normal.

McGonagall seemed to sense this worry, and placed a hand reassuringly on the young girls shoulder, "Don't fret my dear." Her voice was stern, but Anna could hear that comfort that she was trying to bring, and stopped worrying her poor lip. Anna knew that the older woman didn't really understand her worry of being able to fit in, something she could never do before, but it calmed to hear the words spoken aloud. "Now, let's go to Gringotts, as we have much to buy today." With that said she ushered the family away.

'Maybe it would be best if I didn't mention it to anybody, just read up about it and learn,' she thought to herself as she clung to her mother's hand to make sure they weren't separated. 'Yeah, that sounds best.'

oOoOo

Kathy had a down to earth kind of personality, even with Ken and Anna around (as they were of a peculiar sort), but being in the company of Goblins tends to make ones values sway a bit. As how can you say that Goblins, Ghouls, Ghosts and the sort do not exist when they are standing – if elevated – in front of you? So it was not a pleasant trip for her spent at Gringotts, and to be honest, McGonagall was right there with her. She may not be prejudiced towards the Goblins, but they were nasty buggers if you asked her. Though Ken and Anna didn't ask and were having a pleasant time talking to one of the elders (which only the two of them and the other goblins recognized) and they got much better service than any of the other people that had entered the bank since its founding, not that Kathy or Minerva noticed. The two women were thankful to be back out into the Alley while Ken and Anna were a tad upset at having to stop their interesting conversation.

"So, I know you must be bursting with excitement about Hogwarts, and so I will lead off with the basics that you were unable to get from the brochure and the ministry helper and then answer any questions that you feel necessary to be answered." McGonagall stated to the young family as she led them into Flourish and Blots.

"Yeah, that would ease our minds," Kathy said to the stern witch, she wasn't sure she liked her, but would ask Anna of her opinion later. As Anna had a tendency to be right about people after she first meets them. Also, the one thing that had never really been explained was Hogwarts, yes they knew it was a great (and expensive) school, but they didn't really know of the classes except Wizard Studies and Transfiguration, as the book list was rather odd and didn't really explain which book was for which class. Kathy was truly hoping that she would learn something truly horrendous, like they do human sacrifices or something like that, so that she could have a good reason to say screw magic and make sure that her daughter, and best friend, would not leave her.

"Can I fly?" Ken asked excitedly, completely bypassing the fact that McGonagall said she would ask questions only after she had said the basics. He wasn't particularly bothered by the elder witch, as he really wanted to trying flying a broom, but didn't know that if, as a Mundane (he refused to use such a word as Muggle, much too derogatory), he would be able to use one.

His wife slapped him upside the head which caused a resounding, "Ow," but he complied to shut up after the glare she sent him. Rubbing his head, he resigned himself to listen to the boring things.

"Well," the old witch began, pushing open the door to the bookstore, "first I'll start with Hogwarts." She paused, glaring to let Ken know that she wasn't going to answer his question, as they all entered. "Hogwarts students are separated into four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Huffelpuff and Slytherin. Those sorted into each house has a great amount of whatever each house values, like a Gryffindor usually has a great amount of Bravery. Throughout the year, students try to win house points to win the House Cup at the end of year feast..." She continued on to describe punishments, classes and, eventually, Quidditch as they bought the books that Anna needed for her classes and a couple extra on magic sensing (which was a small slim book, and the only one she could find on the subject) and one on magical creatures.

Walking toward the next shop, which Ken and Anna were not enthused about – Madam Malkins, a clothing store – as Ken listened intently to McGonagall as she described Quidditch, which seemed like an amazing sport. "There are seven players in total on a team: one keeper, two beaters, three chasers and a seeker. The chasers pass a ball, called the Quaffle, to each other while avoiding the other teams' chasers and the Bludgers, which are nasty buggers that have a mind of their own but are slightly controlled by the beaters, and then try to get a goal through one of the three hoops which the Keeper is guarding." Ken looked ready to burst with a question, as he hadn't really found a sport that held his interest since rugby in a long time, and the stern look on McGonagall's face cracked a bit at the hilarity of it. "Ah, yes, I can see you're ready to ask about the seeker Mr. Hall.

"The seeker has the most important job in the game. The seeker has to catch the Golden Snitch. The Snitch is about the since of a... wolf ball?" McGonagall paused, trying to find the right word for the muggle comparison.

Anna knew what she was talking about, as she had been hanging on to every word, trying to figure out if she could actually find a sport that she liked in this world. "Like a Golf ball you mean."

McGonagall's eyes brightened and she smiled at the young girl, whose hair was in slight disarray from trying on the various robes that she needed for school. "Ah, yes, golf ball; only the Snitch has wings and is wicked fast, making it near impossible to see. The seeker to catch the Snitch ends the game and wins a total of 150 points for their team. So it is vitally important for the Seeker to be good, but without a good team all around it won't matter how good your seeker is."

Once Kathy paid for the robes, which were too expensive in her opinion, especially since she knew her daughter would grow at least another three inches during her time away, but she didn't question it (even if she wanted to ). They went to the potions store, where McGonagall told them a bit about the Ministry when Kathy asked about it, which is "way better than the fools who were running it two decades ago," and Ken managed to get a batch of toad eyes dumped on him by some Hag. It was quite funny for Kathy to see her rough and tumble, "I ate spiders for breakfast and chocolate covered ants for snacks" husband jumping up and down shuddering and sputtering at the slimy eyes that decorated his pressed button down shirt. Anna wrinkled her nose at her father and moved closer to McGonagall to get away from the flying eyes and the slightly panicking store clerk that was cleaning him off, very poorly in her opinion.

Finally, after being in the Alley for four hours, they made their way to the shop that Anna wanted to go to most: Olivanders. Its faded gold lettering, and established date, which Anna thought for sure couldn't be real, added to the pressure of old magic that she felt exuding from the store.

As she pushed the wooden door open, with the three adults following, a chime of a bell seemed to alert the shop owner. "Ah," the light mystical voice called among the stacks of boxes. "I was wondering when I would see another sensor in my shop."

Anna blinked as she noticed (and heard, meaning the others did not hear his comment about her being a sensor; to her relief), before the others, the silently gliding form of an old man in the shadows. He wasn't very tall, and his silver hair seemed to stick out in all random directions and even be balding in some areas; however, it was his eyes, which she could she even from that distance that seemed to hold her. His eyes were almost completely white, as if he had gone blind, but she could tell that he could see somehow. He gave her a small smile before stepping out from the shadow of the boxes. She could feel all three adults jump, and was quite proud of herself to have noticed him first.

"Please step forward Miss Hall," the soft voice called, as he gestured for her to stand before the counter. "Which is your wand arm?" As he asked this a tape measure zoomed up and started to measure her height, legs, arms, and so on.

Anna, greatly distracted by the tape, which was moving by itself, answered without thinking, "My right." When she realized what she'd said, she hoped that her writing hand would be the same as her wand arm.

"Ah, yes, yes, hmm..." Mr. Olivander, as that is who he must be, muttered under his breath as he searched the stacks of boxes. He found a box, began to pull it out, then muttered again, "No, no, hmm, I wonder, no, not that one." This went on for a while, and the measuring eventually stopped measuring her after figuring out the dilation of her pupils.

Anna looked at the three adults. Her mom and dad were sitting on a chair in the corner, well her dad was sitting on it and her mom was on his lap, and Professor McGonagall was staring at Olivander with a perplexed expression. Anna was under the impression, if McGonagall's expression was anything to go by, that this was not the normal sort of behaviour. Then again, what does she know about normal behaviour? Shrugging it off, she turned back around to see Olivander walking back toward her with a very dusty – but what wasn't dusty in the shop – box. He pulled off the top and gently removed the shimmering fabric which seemed to keep the dust away from the wand. He inclined the wand box toward Anna, and she peeked inside.

The wand that lay in the box was exquisite: it twirled and knotted, very much like Celtic knots, but a bit more eloquent. It was a light, almost ash colour and it seemed to glow with a white light around it. She reached in hesitantly, to which Mr. Olivander nudged it closer to her. The moment she touched the wand, she saw a white light grow encase her body. It didn't blind her, but instead filled her with warmth, and with a sort of fulfillment and completion. It was if she wasn't completely whole before that moment, or that she hadn't really seen life as it should be. When the glow dimmed – it dimmed, but did not leave – she saw things differently.

She had always been able to see and feel of magic in the air, but now it was as clear as day instead of hazy. It pulsed, glowed, twisted and twined with a multitude of different colours, but unlike when she had entered the Alley, it did not overwhelm her but settled comfortably and gently. She looked up to see Mr. Olivander was encased in a lovely mysterious (and how could it not be?) silver aura that was as mesmerizing as he was. She turned to look at McGonagall, and was surprised by the rose pink glow that circled her. She had power, much power, but it was closely contained and held a surprising gentleness, almost mothering quality to it.

When she turned back to Olivander, he asked "Is that the wand?" She heard a shocked gasp from McGonagall, and knew straight off that it wasn't a normal question asked by him.

"Yes, it's mine." She said quietly. She could tell that the wand, Ash, 12 and a half inches, slightly swishy with a Horntail Heartstring and Phoenix feather core was the wand for her. She could tell, as the information seemed to be given to her by the wand. _Odd,_ she thought, but she didn't mind much. She loved her wand already, much like an old friend that finally found her.

"That is a very strange wand Miss Hall. It is not the makeup of it, but the way it acts," he told her, not paying any mind to the others in the shop. "Very powerful, and it has a mind almost to itself. Treat it well Miss Hall."

She already knew that though, she knew that it was powerful, as she could feel it thrumming through her blood. Powerful and gentle, yet forceful; it could be deadly and protective, and healing and soothing. The wand was a bundle of contradictions, much like a human, much like the opposing cores. It seemed to speak to her, sending feelings of comfort and contentment toward her that made her feel truly excited to learn magic, much more than she had before, just to make the wand proud. "I'll treat her well Mr. Olivander, you have my word." She didn't know why she called the wand a female, but it fit she knew.

Mr. Olivander, who didn't seem shocked at all, just smiled at Anna, "Please, take it free of charge, it was meant for you." With that he walked to the back of the store leaving three shell shocked adults and a pleased eleven year old.

oOoOo

McGonagall was muttering when they went back through the Alleyway to the pub. She had never seen Mr. Olivander act in such a way before and to say that the wand had almost a mind to itself. It was preposterous! And the way that Miss Hall hadn't been able to part herself with it, seeming to cling to it, was odd indeed. She had also noticed the way she treated the Goblins, as they got much more respect nowadays then when Fudge was in power, but many witches and wizards thought that they were below them, or creepy like she did. However Anna was completely different, treating them with respect and even joking with them. One does not joke with a Goblin. McGonagall wondered just what Anna would bring to the wizarding world, would she change it, or would she conform to it? She hoped that Anna would be able to make friends here and find a future here.

As she watched Anna play around with her father, she couldn't help but be reminded of the Potter's. She had the energy to keep up with young Lily and the goodness to understand Albus. She hoped that maybe one day, Albus and Anna would be able to at least be friends, as they could certainly turn the world to the better together.

oOoOo

As the group sat down to have a bit to eat, Anna didn't let go of her wand, she even asked McGonagall to permanently transfigure her a holder that she could put around her right forearm. Now the wand was warm against her skin, and seemed to hum with happiness. She knew, just knew, that it was not normal, but she didn't mind, especially since the pulsing magic that she had seen so clearly before slowly faded so that she could see without the multitude of auras as she had taken to calling the colours around people. She didn't miss seeing the disconcerting swirling colours and if she did want to see them, all she had to do was concentrate.

Picking at her food, she wondered what it would be like to go to school and learn magic. Truthfully it was like a dream come true and she couldn't wait, but now that she was about to go, she didn't really know what to expect. She was happy in the wizarding world, or at least, in Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron, as they were both vivacious and homey once the magic stopped pressing down on her. They did not strive to be full of steel and sharp angles and she loved that about the places she had seen. Besides she found the smells of smoke that drifted in the air; so much different from the acrid smell of tobacco.

After they had finished all they could eat, they left the dingy pub and were again in Muggle London. They traversed the busy streets, and were again at their hotel. It wasn't an enjoyable trip back, especially with the bulging packages that they all carried, well expect for McGonagall.

At the lobby, which looked too clean and detached for Anna's standards, McGonagall bid them a tart, "Good day." Then she strode out of the hotel and was gone as soon as they blinked.

oOoOo

Nothing much happened over the next day as they finished packing the fancy7 trunk with all of Anna's non-wizard stuff while flipping idly through her books. The time passed fast for the family, though this time they were not so happy about it. Nerves spread through all three of them as they walked into Kings Cross Station, which was already packed full of commuters. When they reached the barrier between nine and ten, they glanced at it apprehensively.

"_'Just run through it,'_ she said," Ken mumbled. He looked anxious about running at a wall, and Anna could tell by the death grip in which he was holding her mom's hand that it wasn't a farce. His hazel eyes darted around nervously as he tugged on his lip and ran his left hand through his short ash brown hair; yeah, he wasn't happy.

Her mom on the other hand was completely unfazed by running through a wall. "Hun," she said to dad. "You're able to believe that brooms can fly, but cannot believe that a wall can be unsolid?" The look she threw him was one of disbelief. Considering that she had been the one to be in disbelief over the whole magic thing, it really was hard for Anna to believe that her dad was the one acting like this, but her dad was, well, her dad. Sometimes it was best to leave reason at the door when dealing with him.

Anna giggled at that, and walked over to the barrier, shoving her way through the other people on the station. She forced herself to see the magic like she had been practicing the day before, and could see the interwoven red and blue strands over the barrier, but she found it hard to believe that one could just run at a brick wall and come out okay. Shrugging she pressed her hand to the barrier, hoping that she wouldn't have to actually run at a wall, but instead walk cautiously as she knew that one of the strands of magic would reflect any attention she would get doing so. But instead of feeling the cool, rough and uneven brick she had expected, her hand went through the wall as though nothing was there; she felt nothing, just air. She quickly withdrew it; shocked. She stared at the pock marked brick, then to her hand and back again for a few seconds, and then pushed her pointer finger _through_ the BRICK WALL!

'Okay, that was cool,' Anna thought before she stepped fully in, but not before shooting a smirk over towards her flabbergasted father, who had been watching her test the wall.

Turning around she found herself on a platform, it had a sign that declared it "Platform 9 ¾", so she knew she was in the right place. It wasn't very full, as her and her parents had arrived fifty minutes early8, so it wasn't surprising to see barely anyone there. She walked toward the train, and was amazed by it. See, as an eleven year old girl, she had only ever seen a train like the Hogwarts Express at the local Art Knapp. Art Knapp had all sorts of different stuff, like foreign candy, plants, soil, outdoorsy stuff, and it had a lot of miniature trains, all of them set up with a little scene that they chugged through. And here was a train very like the one she had seen, except this one was red and the other had been green (and about a hundredth the size). Anna personally preferred the red; it glowed brilliantly in the sun that shown through the windows, and the steam billowed through the station. It was much more impressive than the modern ones out in King's Cross.

"Anna!" Her mom called, distracting her from the beautiful train. Her parents stood near the middle of the station, near a brick barrier, though not the one they had entered through. Anna noticed that her dad was standing a little ways away from it and giving it an untrustworthy look as though someone would come bursting out of it at any second. "Come over here."

"Coming," She yelled, pulling her special trunk behind her which she then gave to her father once she reached them. She was not the only one to join her parents. A group of red and black haired people came and joined as well, they dressed in normal clothing, much more tasteful than what the Hall's were used to, so they pegged them as wealthy. She frowned at the group, but was shy enough that she didn't say anything about it, worried they may be snobs. She never really knew how one would take her odd personality, and didn't enjoy being mocked for it.

"Hello," the tall ginger haired woman said, extending a hand toward Anna's mom."My names Ginny Potter and this," she said with a wave of her hand toward the black haired man beside her; "is my husband, Harry Potter." The woman, Ginny, seemed pleasant enough, but she and her husband looked slightly anxious; though they were pretty good at hiding it.

My mom smiled – she's good with people as she has to calm patients down when they were in the dentist's chair – and shook the hand that the woman had held out. "I'm Kathy and this is my husband Ken." She sounded very flat with her Canadian accent compared to the woman.

Ken nodded politely as he shook the woman's hand and said with a nervous laugh, "It's very strange, having to run through a wall. I thought that was only for superheroes'." His voice also held a tint of flat Canadian – but it still held its Geordie accent which had flourished while being in his home country – and as Anna watched the Potter's faces, she saw relief and a hint of gratitude. She didn't understand why they would react like that, but had an inkling niggling at her brain... something, uh, about... Law Enforcement. Harry Potter was a famous Auror, caught a lot of dark wizards. She thought that she had seen his name mentioned in her history book, must be used to people acting weird around him. The man also shook hands with her parents.

Anna poked her mom's arm, and Kathy turned toward the young girl. "Oh, and this is Anna. She's not really important." She chuckled loudly at Anna's peeved expression. Kathy played with her daughter's hair, causing the long brown strands to fly everywhere, much to Anna's disapproval. "Nah, she's the reason we're here, I'm so happy that she's a witch."

A large smile blossomed on her face as her mom finally accepted that she was a witch, and was happy to be one. "Oh, you're and Auror, right Mr. Potter?"

The family seemed to tense, which was kind of odd, but Mr. Potter nodded.

"That's cool," she claimed with a smile before turning to her dad, "An Auror is like a police officer, like you, well except he's famous or something. You guys probably have lots in common, capturing bad guys and stuff."

Ken smiled down at Anna, and turned to back toward the Potter's and started talking about his work. The other family looked much more relaxed now than they did before, and Anna wondered what she had said that made their backs get up.

Anna turned away from the adults when she felt a bony finger poke into her side.

"Are you a first year?" A small girl with flame red hair like Ginny's and a loud voice asked. She was a bit shorter than Anna, but seemed to be bursting with energy.

Anna nodded timidly, afraid she was going to be made fun of. The girl's parents seemed rich and probably had a lot of friends already.

She had no reason to be afraid though, as the fiery young girl just squealed with delight and threw herself at the pale brunette. Unsure of what to do, Anna wrapped her arms around the girls' middle and joined her with jumping up and down.

"Um, what's the big deal?" Anna asked as she unwound herself from the girl, and took a piece of her fiery hair from her mouth. The energetic girl looked at her in disbelief.

"THE BIG DEAL?" She shrieked, causing Anna to flinch, thinking that she'd said the wrong thing and that it was all going to go down from there. However the other girl swung her arms around wildly shouting with a smile, "The big deal is you're going to be in first year with ME!"

Anna blinked and nodded. "Oh." She wasn't really sure what to think of the other girl. It was like they were already friends, yet Anna was afraid of offending her. Though with that attitude, the other girls ego would probably take a lot to get bruised.

The parents had distanced themselves from their children and talked with each other as they watched their display with amused looks on their faces.

"Don't mind Lily," a tall ginger teenager said as he walked toward the two girls. "She's always this crazy." He flashed her "the charming smile no. 3" that was originally patented by his namesake James Potter the first, Marauder and all around amazing guy, which made his chestnut brown eyes twinkle, "Names James."

Anna blushed, as she had never really talked to older boys before and this one was quite handsome, much like the King of the Faeries, without the glowing and taller. "I'm Anna," she said in a small voice. She darted her eyes down to her scuffed black Keds before darting them back up to the boy and the girl.

"Don't go snatching my friend away James," the fiery girl, Lily, warned James. She poked a finger in the middle of his torso, as that was where she could reach without looking ridiculous. "Anna's mine."

"Nuh-uh," James shook his head. "She's mine."

"No mine."

"Mine!" James snapped, crossing his arms across his chest in defiance. Looking more like a pouting child then a teenager.

Lily stomped her foot, and her face quickly became the colour of her hair, "No MINE!"

"Don't be silly, she's mine!"

"No mine!"

"Uh, uh, Mine!"

"NO MINE!"

Anna was bemused by the argument and asked without thinking, "Do I have any say in that?" Her flat Canadian tones offset the rolling English ones they had.

"No," they both said stubbornly, before Lily's older brother had an idea.

James smirked at his kid sister and wrapped an arm around Anna when she glared at Lily for starting the argument, "I knew you would pick the better Potter." He was quite a bit taller than her, and she felt a bit intimidated by him, especially because of how good looking he was.

Anna glanced at Lily and saw that she was fuming; she was about to smile when she caught a glance of the other boy standing near the two siblings. He looked a lot like the Harry Potter fellow, with messy black hair, brilliant green eyes and a long, straight nose. However, he seemed to be just a little shorter than Anna and just as shy as she was (at least right then). She knew immediately by his looks that he was James and Lily's brother and decided to actually act like her usual self.

She shrugged James' arm off her shoulder and walked over to the other boy. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and stated to the three Potter's, "I'm his, the faeries told me so." The statement was actually true, but she didn't really put much mind to it.

She could feel the silent laughter shaking his body, and was smiling triumphantly at the two siblings who looked dumbfounded. She thought she heard them mutter, "Another Luna," whatever that meant.

She didn't feel uncomfortable around the smaller boy like she did with James. Because of this, she didn't jump when he whispered, "I'm Albus, by the way; nice to meet you, and the faeries."

She gave Albus a wide smile and said back, "Likewise."

"JAMES!" A voice echoed through the station, causing Anna to jump and drop her arm from Albus. James laughed at her reaction and waved her and his two siblings before running toward the boy who was connected to the voice. James jumped onto the other boy, well teenager as he was quite tall and muscular, who had dark skin and black hair that was in dreadlocks.

"I can't believe you picked him over me," Lily whined to Anna. Her bottom lip poked out and she crossed her arms over her chest.

With her wand seeming to urge her on – Anna knew it was just telling her to be herself –Anna crossed over to the whining girl and patted her back without any awkwardness, "there, there darlin', no need to pout." Anna didn't know what was up with herself as she was being quite daring around other kids, something she had stopped doing when Karen, the girl who bullied her at school had locked her into the Janitors closet and she'd had to stay there over the weekend as one of her other classmates, who she thought was a friend, told her parents that she was sleeping over at her place. Normally she just would've given a shy smile and then hid behind her mom. However it was hard not be confident when Lily and Albus were so friendly to her, and were not rude to her. It seemed to be wearing on the wall she had built to protect her.

Lily laughed and the two girls got to talking about the school. Lily gave her more details about it than she had known from what McGonagall had told her. Time seemed to fly as the two talked and talked, Anna was surprised when their parents came over to them, without their trunks.

"Hey honey, you and Lily here should go find yourself a carriage." Her mom suggested with a wavering voice. When Anna glanced around, she noticed how full the station had become. How had she not noticed? Her mom gathered her in a hug, and Anna could feel the tears begin to pool in her eyes. She wouldn't be able to see her mom, or her dad, for the next ten months. It was going to be hard on her. "I'll miss you sweetie." Her mom said as she released Anna, swiping her sleeve over her brown eyes, which were more of a golden colour than Anna's chocolate.

Anna gave her a watery smile before being swept up and spun around by her dad. "Goodbye squirt," Her dad gruffly said, naming her by the affectionate nickname he had given her as a baby. "Remember everything so that you can tell me when you call from your Aunt and Uncle's." Then he released her, and put his arm around his wife. They were so alike: both with short brown hair, her dad's a light ash and her mom's dark; yet so different: dad's pale and tall form contrasting to her moms' tan and short one. She loved them so much.

Before Anna could do anything else but nod, Lily grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the train."Come on Anna, we want to get to the compartment before it's full up with older kids."

As she was dragged away, Anna waved her free arm and yelled, "I love you." She felt light and airy, while a heavy lump settled in her throat. She was so excited to go to Hogwarts, but knew she would miss her parents dearly, but she pushed the thoughts from her mind and looked with Lily for the compartment their parents had chosen. She could feel the train begin to gain some speed, and rock a little back and forth as they continued to look for empty compartments fifteen minutes later. Anna had only ever been on a sky train, so she didn't know what to expect, but it was much smoother than she had imagined. It was also much prettier: the corridors were panelled with mahogany wood and clear windows; there were no dirt marks, or graffiti. Even then smell of piss and alcohol was missing!

It took a while to find the compartment that their parents had put their trunks, but they finally found it and it only had one person in it. He was a pretty boy with short brown hair and large hands, and seemed familiar to Anna, but she wasn't exactly sure where from. He was sprawled on the seat and smiled charmingly at the Lily when she entered. "Well if it isn't Miss Lily Potter?" He said in an Irish accent. Anna was enthralled with the sound, having not heard one up close before. She loved it. Then she thought about the day she had gone to Diagon Alley and remembered the Irish family with the boy that waved at her.

Lily detached herself from Anna, who had been hanging on to her for dear life, and gave the gangly boy a hug. When she pulled back, she smirked at him, "Lovely seeing you here Mister Finnegan, blown anything up lately?" She then sank into the seat opposite him. Anna was unsure of what to do, so just stood in the doorway.

The charming Mister Finnegan looked sheepish as he admitted exasperatedly, "It was only a block of cheese." He ran a hand through his hair in a very similar motion to what her father had done earlier, except his flopped back to the exact position it had been in before.

Anna snorted at the thought of cheese exploding_. _'It would liquefy,' she thought, 'and spray everywhere. That would be funny.'

The boy turned his eyes, which were a pretty hazel, toward her. "Who're you?"

Anna was opening her mouth to answer when Lily piped up, "Her name's Anna, and she's my new best friend, right?" Lily turned her baby blue eyes toward Anna, and she looked questioningly on her.

"Sure thing, though I do belong to Albus," she trailed off thoughtfully as Lily giggled.

"Yeah, I'll make sure to not forget," she said cheerfully, bouncing in her seat. "Just make sure to invite me to the wedding."

Anna laughed and walked into the compartment. She picked up his legs which caused an "Oi" in response, flopped down to where his feet had been, and put his feet in her lap.

"She's crazy, you know." Anna mock whispered to Louis, and he snickered in response. "She knows that I wouldn't invite her." With that said she smirked at a sputtering Lily, before having striking up a conversation.

"So what house do you want to be in?"

"Oh, both my parents were in Gryffindor, so I'm expected to go there as well. Not that I mind, house of the brave and all that." Louis said with a quirky grin.

"Same with my family, though my dad almost got into Slytherin when she was sorted," Lily snorted. "Mum laughed for ages thinking of him and Malfoy sharing a dorm."

Anna didn't know who Malfoy was but put her two cents in, "Gryffindor sounds like a house for the rash and academically challenged personally."

The two stared at her for a couple seconds and Anna was afraid that she had lost her two new friends already. Then they both started laughing.

"Aye that's the stereotype for our house, like Huffelpuff for duffers, Ravenclaw for bookworms and Slytherin for those evil sods." Louis put in, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

"You just watch," Lily said to her new friend, "You just watch yourself get into Gryffindor for saying that."

"Pfft, of course I'll be in Gryffindor, I have to be brave to hang out with you guys." Anna teased the two while flicking a piece of dirt off of Louis' pants.

"Oh, you did not just say that." Lily taunted while flexing her fingers and Louis joined her while picking his feet off of Anna's lap.

"So what if I did?" Anna snottily replied before she found herself being tickled by the two other first years.

After a while of that punishment, the two eased off and chatted some more, getting to know each other's home life and favorite colours. The two wizard raised students were shocked to hear that Anna talked to faeries, and got on with the goblins. They were also horrified to learn about the bullying she had suffered back home. Anna found the pranks that Albus and Rose, who Lily talked about because of the so called impending wedding, played on others, and the amount of things that Louis had managed to explode before he got used to his magic. They were just about to take out the food that Ginny had packed for Lily when the compartment door opened to reveal three girls.

The lead girl was a pretty blonde the same age as the three in the compartment, but she was developed for her age and had obviously put some time into her appearance judging the carefully applied makeup she sported and the carefully cultivated tan. The girl on her right sported straight black hair to contrast the other girls blonde, and had a similar cultivated beauty of the other girl. The thing that stood out was her deep black eyes that assessed them all crtically before dismissing them. The last girl had long, curly brown hair that framed her child like face that held beautiful, big sandy and blue eyes, a petite nose and pouty lips, and she seemed to hold and aura of cluelessness while appearing just as developed as the lead girl. All three wore their uniforms already, showing them as first years for not having a house crest.

"Hi there," the lead girl spoke in a snotty voice as she gave them a fake smile. "I heard that Lily Potter was in this compartment, is that you?" She asked as she stared at the red headed girl.

"So what if I am?" Lily asked rudely, crossing her arms across her flat chest. Both Anna and Louis just listened to the conversation, deciding not to participate.

"If you are, my name is Patricia Smith, and these two are Sara Belby and Meaghan Goldstein. We thought you would like to have good company." She sneered at Louis and looked disinterestedly at Anna as though to say that the company she was currently in was chosen in poor taste. "We wouldn't want a celebrity's daughter to be in poor company now would we? Everyone would talk."

Anna shrunk in on herself slightly, only noticed by Lily and Louis whom she had spent the past two hours with and could tell the difference.

Lily frowned at the three girls, "You seem to be under the impression that my family and I care about the fame my father has."

"You should be," Sara said viciously.

"Well I don't," Lily huffed, "So why don't you, you, uh…" She tried to think of a word to describe them without swearing and was about to make a fool of herself before Anna spoke up.

"Barbies."

"Heh, yeah, you barbies take your fake tans and leave!" She shouted the end and the three left with a huff as they stomped away.

"Pfft, that was funny," Louis laughed, which set off the other two at the stupidity of the entire meeting, none knowing that those three girls were going to be around them a lot more than they would like.

After that they were off, beginning their friendship, and creating the horrible nickname, that will last for four years before the friendship would be truly tested.

oOoOo

The first years marched into the trophy room that glistened in the torch light Anna couldn't help but be extremely nervous. Her stomach clenched and seemed to be full of butterflies, and she couldn't help but wonder how they got there. It twisted and leaped like an acrobat, making her wish she hadn't eaten the random piece of candy she had found in her bag that had held her change of robes, as that must be the reason she was acting like this.

Anna tried to think about other thing, like how mesmerizing the castle was, mostly because it was a CASTLE! Castles aren't what one would call an everyday type of building where she lived, or at least that she knew of. (If there were more like this castle in the UK then you can sign her up for living here.) The stone walls were not the gray she had expected, but were instead a warm brown colour, and when she ran her hand along the wall it actually was warm as though it was living and breathing. She might've seemed weird to the other kids, but she couldn't help it if she wasn't used to the fact that they were going to live in a CASTLE! 'Okay, okay... calm it down with the castle talk,' she chided herself. 'Just because it doesn't happen every day doesn't mean that I should get a one track mind.'She shook her head ruefully and joined in with her new friends.

She found it increasingly amazing that she had managed to get friends on the first day; that never happened. Anna could say that she was unpopular, as everyone in her grade tended to make fun of her, especially with the ring leader around. Karen, the tallest and – in Anna's opinion – the most petty girl in her grade was the ring leader; had taken it upon herself to make Anna's life miserable. She had succeeded, tormenting her, belittling her, and making sure she had no friends.

Here she had no worries that her belief in the odd (which was the normal here) would make her ostracized or Karen to bully her and to make the other kids no longer like her... Well technically there was those three girls like that here, but she didn't think that anyone could get between her and her friends. Lily and Louis, who were both wonderful people with startlingly different personalities, Lily was like the she-devil that was always ready for a confrontation yet extremely nice and Louis was extremely suave with a hint of boyish charm and quirkiness. She felt like they would be friends forever. That was an absurd thought, but whatever. She let it be, as she just didn't know why she felt that way. It was like her wand was telling her that they could be trusted and that she was okay with them.

A calm male voice drifted through Anna's thoughts; "Welcome to Hogwarts. Now, you will be sorted into houses: Gryffindor, Huffelpuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin." On the last word the dark skinned man – who towered over Anna and the other first years – frowned, but continued on with his explanation. Anna thought that he was quite a kind man, with his dark brown eyes shining with mirth and his posture exuding confidence. Anna was usually pretty good with first impressions and by the soft hum of agreement from her wand that it agreed with her as well.

She was listening to him talk about the houses, the whole the house is your family type of thing, when she felt something. It was a tingling on the edge of her mind; almost as if a tendril of something had brushed against her consciousness. Anna focused on the feeling and was able to picture the tendril, and reach out (metaphorically as reaching out your hand for an invisible tendril is just weirder than is acceptable, even for her) and tug it into her mind. That probably wasn't advisable, but she was curious.

**~I was curious too~ **a young male voice stated clear and calm as ever in her head. It was different from that of the Professor (whom she was guessing the defense teacher Professor Thomas) and that of Louis', but it had Louis' youthfulness. ~**If you want to know who I am you could just ask ya know?~**

Anna was shocked ~**You're reading my mind.~ **She thought bewilderedly, she was pretty sure she was doing her best fish impression. ~**Oh Hades, I didn't know people could do that... Then again I probably shouldn't try to grab magical tendrils reaching toward my brain, but what do you do?~**

A chuckle echoed through the recesses of her mind. ~**I don't think you look like you're doing a fish impression. My dad does a good one.~ **The memory of a tall ginger man with a spattering of freckles appeared in her mind. His mouth gaped open, shut and then closed again repeatedly, with his eyes bulging out.

It took a lot of effort not to laugh aloud, as her friends may have accepted some of her oddities, laughing for no reason was pushing it. ~**So who are you anyway Mr. Brain Talk?~**

**~Hugo's the name and I was curious about you because you are friends with my cousin. Not many people are accepted by her family because many people just want to get their fame~**

**~Yeah, there were some girls on the train that mentioned it and I know her dad's a famous Auror, but that doesn't really make sense, why would you want to be around them for fame?~ **Anna was puzzled by this, and it showed in her thoughts.

**~Well, her dad is also the Boy-Who-Lived-And-Conquered or the Chosen One and her mother is a chaser on the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch Team~**

**~Oh, so that was the famous boy fellow... ~ **Anna could almost see the amused smirk that would appear on the boys face at this. Looking around for a boy with a smirk on his face, she saw one immediately. His hair was in a curl mass on his head, and looked incredibly soft, he had pale skin with a spattering of freckles and flashing dimples.

**~Oh, he's cute~ **Anna thought unconsciously and she saw the boy that was looking at a tad shocked and a bit smug which made her blush. ~**Oh no, you heard that.~ **She thought in despair. ~**I did not just think that.~**

**~Sorry, but you did... Okaaaaay. Well girl-who-thinks-I'm-cute, what's your name? You know mine after all.~**

Anna quirked an eyebrow to the boy still terribly embarrassed so she prepped to throw him out. ~**Name's Anna. Nice to… talk, think, whatever… to you. Um, does this happen a lot?~**

**~Not usually no, but I've heard that it can happen between people who are natural Legilimens~ **He paused here as though he had felt her confusion, **~A mind reader, and Sensors. However it isn't well documented and it is unlikely for two such as us to meet each other.~ **He spoke as if quoting a textbook, which made her blink. **~Because of this I am guessing that you're a Sensor as I'm a natural Legilimens.~**

She nodded, which made Louis look at her funny, and blushed at her stupidity. She heard a chuckle in her mind and decided to cut the conversation. She felt around her mind, searching for the stupid tendril and then pushed it out of her mind. She was awarded with seeing his brown eyes widen and mouth form a comical "o".

"So why are you staring at my cousin?" Lily asked, her head comically tilted to the left. "Are you declaring that you're his too?"

"Oh shut up." Anna said, giving her a slight nudge. "It was just a staring contest."

Lily looked at her, up and down, but then shrugged. "I'm guessing you won, otherwise he wouldn't be so shocked." She smirked at Hugo, "He always did win staring contests too easily."

Louis and Lily laughed at that, but Anna only gave a smile.

"I'm guessing that you don't like your cousin?" Anna asked, as it was with a bit of scorn that she had said the last statement.

Lily shook her head. "Nah, I don't hate the bloke, but we've never been really close. He's always been a bit distant from everybody; even with his sister."

Anna thought that Lily's family should've tried a little harder to be friends with Hugo, as he seemed like a good guy even with the mind reading (which was probably why he was so stand offish), but before she could really say anything she and the other first years were being ushered into the Great Hall. It was truly magnificent. The students all turned in their seats to get a look at the new students. Anna felt a churning in her gut again as she past them by. 'Just pay them no mind, none at all.' She would've found her own advice hard to listen to if it weren't for the fact she had darted her gaze upward. What she saw there was the open sky. It was if there was no roof, but she knew that it was there (as she had read about it quickly in _Hogwarts: A History_) but it was so much more impressive in person. Because she was looking up she barely managed from tumbling into the kid in front of her, a short rat faced boy, by the hand on her arm. She saw that it was just Louis and nodded her thanks.

When she looked to the front, she saw the teachers table – as that's what it had to be – and a ragged old hat sitting on a four legged stool. The brim opened, and then began to sing. She didn't pay attention to the words, as that held no great importance to her, but the melody was pleasant enough as she hummed along. She thought that a singing hat was brilliant idea. When the tune finished, she clapped delightedly along with all the others, and she could see the kids around her sagging with relief. From the stuff that she had overheard, many of the kids thought that they would have to do magic of some sort or battling a troll. They had some over wrought imaginations.

The sorting passed on pleasantly with a pair of twins being sort into Slytherin and "Finnegan, Louis" being sorted into Gryffindor. Then it was her turn to go up with:

"Hall, Anna."

She walked up to the raised wooden platform, her heels reverberating off the wood and sounding startlingly loud in the almost silent hall. Anna picked up the ragged hat, and placed it gently on her head.

**~Good day to you, what is your name?~** Anna thought, as it was always good to be polite. And she had gotten over the fact of a talking hat around the third person who was sorted.

**~Ah, why hello to you to dear, my name's Jareth~ **A voice whispered in her head, very much like Hugo, but a little creepier and much older.

Anna wondered who could have such a strange name, but continued to be nice nonetheless. **~Are you alright?~**

**~Why yes I am, you would be surprised by how barely anyone asks that. Now let me check your mind, hmm...~ **Anna could feel him moving through her mind and sat relaxed as she waited for him to be finished.

**~Hmm... Why you have quite the interesting wand young lady!~**

**~Yes, I think so~ **Anna answered back as she felt as if her wand and the hat were speaking.

**~Well it seems to want you in Gryffindor, though you would do well in Ravenclaw, you're certainly smart and unconventional enough. Though I can tell you want to be with your friends!**

**~Oh, I guess it better be...~** "GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted aloud.

She made her way to her housemates, who clapped with increasing vigor, especially after Lily was sorted. Anna was sad when Hugo was sorted into Slytherin, which was met with silence throughout the hall. He had looked pale and horrified, but quickly covered his feelings with a mask and joined the green and silver table. He never made eye contact with Anna again throughout the entire dinner.

oOoOo

The next four years passed in a blur, she made enemies with her roommates (who they had named the barbies after that first meeting on the train), beside Lily, and became the newest Golden Trio since the time of Lily and Louis' parents, though they have it A.L.L (why yes, it is a bad pun). Through that all Anna managed to become great friends with some of the Slytherins in her year after cornering Hugo to make him talk to her (and stalking him, not that she would ever admit it) and spent whatever time she wasn't with Lily and Louis in the Slytherin common room – it was a fact that only her and the snakes knew, as if anyone else knew that a lion was hanging in the Slytherin Common Room9, there would be a riot – or in the Study group she had started that included every house but her own (they thought Quidditch was more important). Lily and Louis managed to get onto the Quidditch Team as reserve chasers in second year and on the main team in third so they lost a lot time that they would usually hangout with each other. Her and her friends were all changing now though, as Anna now had a hot temper, Lily was now narrow minded and Louis, well, Louis was a guy. She hoped that her fifth year would be for the best, and maybe she could finally be friends with the shy guy that caught her heart. She'd always liked him, not that she found him physically attractive, but he had the nicest personality and was always so accepting of her that she couldn't do anything else but fall for his soulful eyes.

O.W.L year, the pivotal year, the year that would change everything. Who knows what could happen...

1 My mother actually uses this saying regularly, but means no ill will towards gays or lesbians. I don't really understand how a popcorn farts or how one can be gayer than it, but it's just how she is.

2 Another one of my mother's anecdotes that she got from my grandmother, I blame her living in the middle of nowhere for the first eighteen years of her life as the reason behind it.

3 The Canadian Paranormal Society or TCPS actually exists, you can google it.

4 EVP's otherwise known as electronic voice phenomenon, trying to find disembodied voices that cannot be hear with the naked ear.

5 By Magicals it means that Ken's biological father (whom left him and his mother when he as one) was a squib born to another squib who was the not so honourable Lord Hall whom disowned his second son – the squib – from the family, thus ending his chance of having an heir when his first son was killed in the war with Voldemort (he was a supporter). This also is noteworthy to notice that all muggleborns actually are descended from squibs, and are just the only one in the family to have the ability to use magic in a while (marrying muggles allows the ability to increase as it allows for the magic blood to fight the muggle blood making the person stronger).

6 As a figure of authority, she gains automatic respect and thus made Ken and Anna sad that they couldn't act out, but before they shrug it off.

7 This trunk was specially made for Mundane's as it was always measured 45 pounds on a scale, but was feather-light to the any keyed into the wards. It looks like a regular muggle suitcase, but changes to a trunk when one pushes the logo on the front and says "Wizard" and it has a automatic shrink function that is similar to the trunk switch but one has to say "shrink" instead.

8 Her mother is slightly obsessed with getting everywhere early, something which she has managed to drill into Anna, but is having trouble doing so with Ken.

9 The Slytherin's knew but weren't really bothered by it, as Anna was classified as an honorary Slytherin when she managed to beat a seventh year snake in a duel that had a problem with her.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

Hey, so this is the first chapter of the revamped "A Canadian Interloper" now renamed "A Not So Normal Fifth Year." You will see aspects from the original version of this fic, but don't skip it as I've changed a number of things. I'm not sure if you will have regular updating, but I do know that I will finish this (unlike the last attempt). It may not be as long as it had been in its first incarnation but it will be finished! Also, check out the small collection of one-shots in the NSN universe called "Not So Normal One-Shots", but enough of that.

I have to warn you of certain things. One, there will be **POV changes** happening and they are _not_ labelled. However, you should be able to notice the switch quickly and not be left floundering. Second, I will be posting up** a new chapter every month** so as not to be too hard on myself. It should continue to be every month, but I will post on my profile or twitter if I'm having any problem getting the next one out. I know that it is a long time to wait, but with "Divination Dream Diaries" and "Surviving a New World with a Side of Sarcasm" being more interesting for me to write, those will be of more importance to me. Third, originally, I had promised not to post this until I had finished it, but that is not the case now because I need reviews. Yes, **_reviews_**. I need people to tell me how they like certain things so that I can improve upon what I have up. I can't do that if I'm the only person reading it. Fourth, this is full of **OC's**. I have made a grand total of way too many OC's that I ended up taking characters from other Manga's and/or Anime's to fill the places. Because of the way I've done it, and the fact that this is next gen, there are a lot unnamed/unknown characters, so I've needed to add my own. I apologize, but there is nothing I can do to change it now. My fifth and final point is that this is** Albus Potter/OC** fic. There won't be a lot of other side pairings like I had originally planned. Unless you want a certain pairing to happen, I won't consider it.

Now just enjoy yourselves,

USMCcAnthem

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I am the creator of Anna and my other OC's. I make no money, so don't sue me!_

* * *

"Blah blah blah." – Talking

'_Blah blah blah' _– Thinking

**~Blah blah blah~ **– Mind link

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Anna sighed as she placed her books back into her trunk, watching as they fit in the expanded space perfectly. She hated the end of summer for a couple of reasons. One, she had to leave her parents once more for another ten months before she could see them again. Two, she had to go on a plane for eight-ish hours doing nothing and being bored out of her mind. Lastly, she had to pack her trunk which was too troublesome and annoying. Her eye twitched when she saw a couple of the faeries that were "helping" her pack, took a couple of the neatly folded clothes and throw them around the room. Growling, Anna grabbed the clothes they had thrown out and began the tedious task of refolding them.

"No touch," she told the two female faeries, who pouted at her before flying out the open window in a huff. Anna pinched the bridge of her nose and wondered if the whole "being muggle" pact1 she had made with her mother was worth it.

"Are you having trouble packing?" She heard her mom's voice ask. She gave her mom a small smile as the woman entered her now clean and slightly empty room.

"Nah, it's just so annoying, especially when the faeries try to get in on the tortu – I mean, fun." Anna rolled her eyes as her mom laughed at her misfortune.

Once Kathy calmed down she asked her daughter with a small hint of sadness, "So all ready to go for tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

They stood beside each other, silent as Anna closed her suitcase and placed it on the floor before breaking the silence, "I'll miss you."

Kathy hugged her daughter, fifteen years old yet still so young, "I'll miss you too."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't forget me." Ken, Anna's dad, called as he engulfs the two females in the room in a back breaking hug. They family of three laughed before they went down to eat dinner, each chatted happily with each other, silently hating that they had to separate – as they did every year since Anna turned eleven – for the next ten months.

oOoOo

Anna waited for her trunk-turned-suitcase in the baggage claim, very happy that she had put a Canadian flag on it as it stuck out among the plain black ones on the terminal. She smiled a few minutes later when she to the arrivals waiting area where she saw her Aunt, Uncle and younger cousin waiting for her. They all looked like they had during the winter break the previous year, expect for the fact that her cousin seemed to have sprouted a few more inches and lost the majority of his baby fat.

She was greeted with a hug from her aunt when she finally got close to them, "Hello hun, how was your summer?"

"It was good Auntie Grace," She said as she was released. Her aunt was a cheery person, with constantly flushed cheeks and a wide smile. Her age had always been something of a mystery to Anna, as it was rude to ask, but her pure black hair left her aunt seeming younger than her mom. "Hey Uncle Derrick, Jordan," she hugged them both and got two smiles in return. Those two were like two peas in a pod, driving auntie Grace up the wall while they went adrenaline chasing up and down the countryside. Her uncle Derrick was a tall man with black hair that was white at the temples and tan, muscular skin from working out and being outside all the time; if Anna didn't know any better, she would think he's a mechanic, but he actually works as a designer in town. Jordan, who was still going through the awkward stages of puberty, was tall and gangly with the tan skin of his dad and the smile of his mom.

"Hey cuz, did you do anything fun this summer? Oh wait," Jordan said with a smirk, "I forgot, you don't do interesting do you?" Did she forget to mention that his favourite pastime is teasing her?

Anna mock glared at him before a prim and proper look overcame her face, "I'll have you know," she sniffed, "that I went bungee jumping." The proper look vanished as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Are you serious?" He asked, surprised. "Seriously?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, seriously. Now come on or your parents will leave us here." She told him before running off, her trunk dragging behind her, after her aunt and uncle who were already far ahead of the pair.

"HEY! WAIT FOR ME!" She heard her cousin yell, and laughed as she continued running.

oOoOo

They'd all had a good laugh by the time the two teens had caught up and the next two days spent shopping and spending time together flew by in a blink of an eye. Before any of them knew it Anna was running through the barrier after saying goodbye once more.

Anna quickly joined the large group of Potter-Weasley's. They were easily spotted it the swarm of people by the large distance that others put between the well known families and the others. Harry Potter and his wife Ginny were talking to Ron Weasley and his wife Hermione. Hermione seemed to be quite stressed, constantly pulling at her long curly hair and fiddling with her wand, but Anna guessed it was the stress of the end of summer rush that was getting to her.

Near the four adults stood the remaining brood of Potter-Weasley's still going to Hogwarts. There was Rose Weasley, a tall red headed girl with a spattering of freckles and her Hogwarts robes already on. Beside her was… oh my. If Anna hadn't already seen what growth spurts could do thanks to her male neighbours she would never have believed it was Albus Potter. However the bright green eyes and fly away black hair marked him as a Potter, and only Albus had those features. He was very different from the scrawny and pimple covered 16 years old he once was; now he stood a little over six feet with clear skin and a lean body. Well, she now knew what all those Quidditch practices went to. Next to the very drool-worthy… ah, well beside him was Lily. She was still petite, shorter than Anna, with her long red hair streaming down her back and pale skin speckled with freckles. Anna noted that the three of them were a little removed from the final member of the Potter-Weasley's, Hugo.

She squirmed her way through the crowd to stand in between Lily and Hugo. Hugo was a tall boy, his brunette curls darting every which way – something that made Anna want to play with them – and dimples that flashed as he gave her a huge smile. He was a sweet person, and if it wasn't for the fact that she had the wrong equipment, they probably would've dated by now. Besides, she and Hugo had always kept their relationship secret, not out of malice or fear, but because it had never really came up; so the smile he shot her is something that the others were probably confused by. Especially since, Anna knew, he only really smiled at Anna and his friends in Slytherin since he had been sorted into that house. Nobody else knew what had caused him to be so friendly to the short golden haired girl, but they left it be. Or well, they left it be after he had nearly caused the house to collapse when they had accused him of having a crush on Anna during the summer after third year when they had noticed him smile at her as they left the train.

"Hey Hugo, have a nice summer?" She asked, truly curious. She knew that the other Weasley's just didn't really except him since he had been sorted into Slytherin. They didn't do it on purpose, but making fun of Slytherin's, while your son is one, and not even noticing that they're hurting him just doesn't go over well.

Hugo just shrugged, but tugged on the small ponytail that Anna had managed to pull her hair up into. She smiled as she swatted his hand away knowing he would tell her later. She was about to ask another question, but was stopped from talking to him further when Rose butted in.

"Stop flirting with a Slytherin, Anna." Rose joked. She gave a small sigh and fake swooned. Even though Anna knew Rose was joking, she knew that Hugo would not take it that way. He had to deal with their constant scorn of Slytherins all the time, and then for them to joke with him about it, as if they hadn't been making fun of his house in the first place, tends to wear on him.

She was right, as Hugo glared at his older sister, and then stomped off toward the train, being intercepted by Kyle Cuthbert, a short blonde haired pureblood Slytherin from America. His twin, Caitlin, waved at her discreetly as she ushered the two boys on to the train.

Anna narrowed her brown eyes at Rose, whose blue eyes looked confused at her brothers' reaction. "Could you stop making fun of him for being in Slytherin?" Anna snapped at the tall red head. She had drawn the attention of the others in the group, and realized that she may have been a little rude, "I know it was a joke, but you should think about what you say."

"It's not like it matters," Ron told to her. She seemed to gain height as she straightened her back and looked down her nose at Ron. How she managed to do that she didn't know.

"It matter's to him." She said evenly, which made everyone know that she meant business. Never argue with Anna when she spoke evenly, that was when she was about to snap. Unfortunately Ron Weasley was oblivious to this.

Opening his mouth, he stupidly muttered, "_Somebody's _PMSing."

His comment was met with a pulse of energy that pushed him back a few feet. He seemed as though he was dragged back by a string, heels scuffing on the floor of the platform, and then put flat on the floor, leaving him upright.

All of those who saw it were shocked, as no wand was pulled out and no spell was shouted; he just seemed as though he was pulled on an invisible string.

Anna wasn't shocked, as she was too furious to care. It didn't help at all that he was completely correct. She spun on her heel, trunk behind her, and left without a backward glance. Leaving the group flabbergasted. She marched into the train and found Hugo staring at her in shock.

**~Just what, exactly, was that?~ **He asked her without saying a word, shooting a curious look at her. That sounded odd, but the fact was that since they had found out they could talk to each other through a mental bond they would occasionally use it to talk to one another. It had taken a lot of trial and error for the natural legilimens and sensor, but they eventually managed to talk to each other halfway across the castle and connect with less than half a thought. Nobody else knew that they could do that and Hugo was careful to not do it too often as it was disconcerting to have another person in your mind.

The question quickly shot through her anger, it allowed her reasoning to reappear. She blushed at what she had done. **~Crap, crap, crap. That was embarrassing. I can't believe I lost my temper like that.~ **She irrationally felt like crying. **~Damn hormones.~**

Hugo grimaced and she realized what she had just thought. **~Sorry Hugh.~**

He sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. **~It can't be helped, though you wonder why I don't go for females. Anyway, I better go join Kyle and Caitlin before Harkis or Jade decide to join them.~ **Hugo gave her a hug and walked away, dragging his trunk, in the direction of the usual Slytherin carriages.

"Wow that was some show." Lily said as she walked up to Anna, who was standing in the hall with her trunk on the ground. "I bet Aunt 'Mione wishes she could do that every time he's insensitive about her time of the month."

Anna turned to face her as she gave a watery laugh as tears of relief formed in her eyes. "Yeah, I bet," she said shakily. Lily gave her a hug, knowing that she didn't like to lose her temper because of being bullied when she was younger.

"Alright, enough of this sap fest, let's go find Louis." Lily said as she released the other girl and got a true laugh in return. She grabbed Anna's pale, muscular arm and dragged her forward. She was halted from making any progress when she tripped over Anna's trunk – letting go other the others arm as she went – which was in the middle of the aisle. "Really Anna, was it necessary to leave it right in the middle of everyone's way?" She mock grouched.

Anna laughed at her best friend, who was spitting out pieces of her red hair that had managed to go everywhere when she had fallen. "Yes, it was just to see that." She replied tartly. She moved with an easy grace and picked up her fallen trunk. "Now let's go find Louis."

Lily glared at her best friends back, "Hey, I said it first." She clambered up and grabbed her own trunk from its precarious position.

Anna tossed a smirk over her shoulder, "Really, did you call dibs?"

"DIBS!" They both shouted at the same time. It was something that they'd been doing since the first day of classes, trying to call dibs on all the best food, guys, books, and seats. It was completely immature, and Louis always just rolls his eyes when they do it, but that was what made it fun. Laughing together, for they knew there was no winner, they trekked across the train cars, looking for the now tall and extremely handsome Louis (or at least that is what he told Lily he looked like in letters; who, in turn, told Anna). After a few minutes and no luck they eventually found a carriage with only one guy in it. He had short brown hair, nicely styled, tan skin, hazel eyes that seemed to shine with confidence, muscular shoulders and chest and long legs, which stretched across to the other seats across from his.

Anna drooled a little – being a little perverted, she blames her parents – but dismissed it as being Louis before she heard his distinct Irish voice call out, "Oi girlies, are ya goin' to stare at me all day or are ya gonna join me?"

Anna blushed slightly at being caught in the act and noticed Lily was the same, but entered the carriage, and they put their trunk above the seats. They sat opposite each other, Lily sitting with his feet and Anna next to Louis, like always.

"Hey darling, how was your summer?" Anna asked sinking into the plush seat, and trying not to think of how homesick she became every time she left for the year. She turned her head toward Louis who was looking between the two of them, amused by the fact that they had drooled over him in the first place.

"Oh, it was alright,"Louis told them, but his eyes seemed to say otherwise. "Played some Quidditch, hung out with the other guys near my place, broke up a raid; you know the usual."

"Hmmm..." Anna replied, nodding. She was feeling odd. Like wanting to curl up and die odd, and stopped paying attention, as she saw both Lily and Louis begin a conversation. She sighed and took out her wand. She muttered a spell to get rid of cramps, knowing that she would probably be asleep for the rest of the ride because of her odd reaction to the spell. She felt herself slip in the realm of Morpheus and smiled happily at the lack of pain.

oOoOo

Lily watched her best bud nod noncommittally at Louis, hum, mutter a spell, and then drop into a deep sleep causing her head to slump into his lap. She shook her head, and got up, readjusted her legs while Louis moved her head into a more comfortable position.

"What's wrong with her? She seems dead tired." Louis asked, turning his pretty hazel eyes toward her.

'_He really had become quite handsome, but he isn't Anna's type. Shame, they would make a great couple,' _Lily thought with a snort, and replied. "Seems? Yeah, because the fact that she just passed out before the train even moved wasn't a dead giveaway." Lily wasn't about to tell the male that it was likely due to the spell Anna had cast on herself, most likely to get rid of cramps, and the weird reaction she has to it. She shook her head at the brunette, causing her long, straight red hair to go into her eyes. She shoved it irritatingly out of the way, only to have it fall back into her eyes again. '_Maybe I should get it cut.'_

"Haha, very funny, Loony Lily," when she glared at him for daring to use that nickname, he just stuck his tongue out at her. "Now answer my question dunderhead."

"Thanks," she sarcastically drawled, before really thinking about his question. She hated to think as she always looked constipated when she tried to think; thankfully she was naturally good (or at least good enough) at school because her face would be stuck that way otherwise. "I think," she started slowly, "that it has something to do with the fact that she pushed my Uncle." Okay, so she lied, but really he didn't need to know about Anna's period problems.

Louis' brows scrunched down together. "What do you mean?"

Rolling over the scene she had witnessed before she had gotten on the train around her brain, she realized that Anna had done of bit of accidental magic, it probably hadn't helped her feel better in the slightest. She repeated this aloud – minus the last part – and Louis nodded.

"Makes sense, it always drained me." He tilted his head to the side, and Lily could tell that he was working something out. Unlike her when she thought, he actually looked like a normal person when he thought. Not fair really. "Usually accidental magic stops after third year though. Wonder why it's started again with her."

Lily shook her head, not really wanting to bother thinking about her complex best friend; sometimes it was easier just to drop it; like the close relationship she seemed to have with Hugo. Best leave it alone.

The train whistle blew, and chugged forward, its movement's jerky until it gained enough speed to cruise smoothly. Lily had been staring at her friends' face, which was more peaceful than she had seen when she had been defending Hugo. Then it had been livid: eyes narrowed, eyebrows drawn, mouth puckered and face red with rage, even when she had calmed she still had a pinched look to it. She'd never liked being on Anna's bad side when she lost control of her temper, something that had been happening more and more often as she'd gotten older. It was never a fun experience, and she was thankful that she had only had it happen twice (that she knew of).

She was jolted out of such melancholy thoughts when the door to their compartment opened. There stood the most magnificent guy she had ever seen. His short blonde hair was windswept (permanently), flawless tan skin, cornflower blue eyes shining with humour, full mouth tilted up with a smirk, small dimple in his chin flashing, fit body (which is just too amazing for words) accented in his snug denim pants, and black fitted tee. Oh, would she ever like to gaze at that beauty all day.

And then he had to go and open his ruddy mouth.

"Well, well, female Potter, seems like your friends ditched you for never-never land." The arrogant git sneered at her.

She was about to correct him that only Anna was asleep when she turned and saw that Louis had passed out as well, head thrown back and mouth gaping wide.

"Shut it Corner, don't wake them up." She snapped, just as loud as he was, maybe louder.

The git snorted. "Yeah right, and give you the satisfaction of winning an argument, _pfft_, no way." When she turned toward him, he crossed his arms over his beautiful chest. She saw the muscles in his arm flex, and wanted so badly to drool, but defiantly tried to overcome it. She was a Gryffindor after all.

"See what you like female Potter?" The prat asked. She looked at his face, and could see the confidence and amusement written all over his face.

A blush began to spread across her face, but instead of allowing him to take it as a blush of embarrassment, she tried to make it seem as if it was anger. It wasn't hard to make herself go from embarrassed to raging with the notorious red head temper. "Oh don't kid yourself Corner; I'm just making sure that you're as ugly as always. Now get out of my compartment!" She snapped, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

Corner scowled down at her, but drawled out easily, "Keep on deluding yourself Potter, but I know that you want me." With that he left the spitting mad Lily with a soft click of the door.

"Foul loathsome little git he is." She muttered under her breath, trying to rein in the temper that wanted to lash out at the closest thing, which happened to be Louis' feet. She restrained herself from throwing the impressive Bat Bogey hex (like mother like daughter) and took the stupid, bloody deep breaths until she no longer wanted to physically hurt someone.

She really hated how Alec Corner could rile her up. He had always bothered her; something to do with his dad and her mom when they were teens, and she found it so easy to react to his taunts. He had been doing so since their first class together, Defense Against the Dark Arts. For some reason Professor Thomas had decided to mix the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors; so she hadn't been able to pair up with Anna or Louis. Instead she got stuck with that great git. She huffed out a breath as she realized that she was getting angry again. She snuck a look at her two sleeping friends, and decided to take a nap as well.

She curled up like a cat in the corner, and slowly left consciousness, with the thought of two soft cornflower blue eyes invading her dreams.

oOoOo

A couple hours later the three of them, now dressed in their Hogwarts uniforms, sat in the thestral drawn carriages, all in a better mood. Anna fiddled with her wand, feeling the warmth it gave her shoot up her arm, and laughed when the magic tickled her. As she shook her head with mirth she turned to the other two, "I can already feel the homework." She mock grumbled.

Lily's eyes bulged in false horror, "Oh no! I don't think I can go on with such a fate awaiting me!" She pretended to faint into Anna's lap.

"The horror! The horror!" Louis cried as he dramatically died, falling onto the carriage floor.

The three were silent for a moment before they all cracked up. They continued laughing until they had to get off the carriage and go into the Great Hall. "Seriously though," Anna started as she looked around warily for Peeves, "We're gonna be swamped with homework this year."

"I know," Lily nodded solemnly making the other two swap humorous looks behind her back. "I remember seeing James and Albus during their fifth year, they had minor breakdowns once a week; and from what mum told us of dad's fifth year that he snapped at everyone within two feet of him."

Louis snorted at the last bit, "That's an understatement if my dad has anything to say about it, especially since he was on the receiving end of Mr. Potter's temper."

We shared another laugh as we sat down at the Gryffindor table, Lily and Louis greeted some of the other members of the Quidditch team – Reggie, Payton and Jeffery – while Anna started a conversation with a sixth year Gryffindor. The sorting went by quickly, with no student taking longer than two minutes under the hat. During the feast she quietly reminisced about her own sorting, not noticing the pair of eyes that watched her down the table.

oOoOo

Albus Severus Potter was a lot of things. He was seeker on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, a seventh year, a prankster, son of the famous Harry Potter, and a pretty nice guy. That would was the common consensus of the people around him. No one would've ever called him handsome, if only because he went through a horrible bout of puberty, but that was no more. Now the second son of Harry Potter was tall, lanky and downright sexy (if you ask the female population). His skin, once covered in a sheen of grease and pimples no matter how many times he showered was clear and grease free. Now, one could focus on his flyaway hair, crooked smile and lovely green eyes. Many a girl swooned when he entered the Great Hall.

Albus, however, was completely oblivious much to the amusement of his cousin, Rose. Albus, instead of preening like his grandfather would've done, subtly watched the object of his affections; her name: Anna Hall, his little sisters' best friend. He had gained a small crush on her when he first met her at the train station in his third year when she chose to pick him instead of Lily or James. She had been the first to do that. Even his parents didn't do that though they did love him, it was just the curse of being the middle child. Albus knew that her gesture had been a joke for the most part, but it meant a great deal to him, and continued to be as she became friendly with him.

Albus had always been a shy boy, finding it hard to open up to those not family, leaving him to only have Rose as a close friend, but Anna had always made him open up a little more and gain confidence enough to do so with others. She hadn't made fun of him when he went through the awkward stages of puberty or when he started to blush and stammer when he was around her.

To say he was infatuated was understating it a little. He drew the line at stalking though, he just followed her sometimes, you know with the cloak and the map… It wasn't stalking, just uh, information… gathering. Yeah, *cough*.

Anyway, Albus is currently stealthily staring at the girl of his dreams – such lovely dreams they are too – while she seems to be deep in thought. _'I wonder what she is thinking about,' _he mused as he puts another piece of treacle tart into his mouth.

"Well, you could always ask," Rose told him.

"Yes, you're right." Albus mumbled through his mouthful of food before he paused; "Wait…" He turned to look at her. Seeing her smirk his mouth fell open, showing the half chewed food to the Hall – though thankfully everyone who had been staring earlier was currently preoccupied. Albus swallowed hurriedly when he noticed her disgusted face.

"Eh, you mean I said that aloud?" He asked bewilderedly while looking around to see if anyone else had heard his screw up. No one seemed to be looking at him funny, so he turned his full attention on to Rose.

Rose snorted indelicately, "Yes, you did stupid." She rolled her eyes at him when he pouted, and thought, '_If anyone had been looking, there would've been dozens of girls on the floor passed out from cute overdose.'_

Sighing, the red head decided to give her friend and cousin a little advice, "But seriously Al, you should go and talk to her more often, otherwise she won't notice you at all. I actually think that my brother has a better chance of getting with her than you do." Rose rushed to continue when she heard him growl, "But I don't think he would, and don't look at me like that!" She admonished him when he looked disbelieving. "I mean it, I don't think he likes her like that, she's like another sister to him or something similar. But, nevertheless, he does talk to her more than you do," Rose actually wasn't sure if this was true, but from the interaction they shared at the platform was any indication, the two knew each other well, "So he knows her more than you. That means that she is more likely to spend time with him than with you. Aren't the best relationships built out of friendships anyway?"

Albus nodded slowly as he listened to Roses' advice and smiled when she finished. "Like with my mum and dad, and yours too." He didn't notice the shadow of doubt that flashed over her face when he mentioned her parents. Both stopped talking for a while when Professor McGonagall stood up to say the start of term notices. "I'll start tomorrow," he told her decisively as the students were finally dismissed from the Hall, both stuck to the back of the pack, thankful that neither of them were prefects.

"Yeah, well I wish you good luck my friend," Rose told him with false solemnity, patting his back for good measure. Chuckling the two went to bed with their year mates, walking past the familiar red and gold common room without a second glance.

'_It's good to be back,'_ both thought as they curled up in bed and drifted off to sleep.

oOoOo

Anna and her two friends stood up from the table and made their way to the common room. Anna hadn't really said much during the feast, remembering her own sorting, how different Albus now looked and wondering – not for the first time – why Hogwarts couldn't just invest in a glass ceiling. Sighing, she turned to her friends, noticing that Louis had been uncharacteristically nervous, as though he was not looking forward to going into the common room – which is one of his most favourite places besides the Quidditch pitch – and she had noticed (during the moments she had looked at her friends) that he would not look at Meaghan at all. This was not particularly odd, as he had never been one to look in her direction in the first place – one of the few boys who didn't do so – but this was bordering on avoidance. She had noticed this especially when Meaghan had caught her casting her big doe eyes at him_. 'Hmm...'_

The Pink Lady, as Anna refused to call her fat, allowed them in when the recited the password "Hooligans" and they shuffled into their respective dormitories with a murmured bye.

With her food coma, Anna had forgotten just exactly who she lived with. "Ah, if it isn't Potty and her sidekick. Now, now children, go off to bed with you." A snide voice chided. '_The Barbie's,' _Anna thought with an internal groan, '_how could I forget?'_

"Shove off," Anna mumbled before waving her wand, which she had decided (spur of the moment mind you) to call Betsy, at herself to switch from robes to a baggy shirt and shorts using a version of the switching spell that she had created in first year (never mind that switching spells were fifth year material). Another spell was cast from Betsy to clean and floss her teeth then she was all ready to go to sleep. Anna trudged over to her bed and collapsed on it, flicking her wand to move the curtains to hide her from view.

The room was smothered in silence for a few moments before Lily broke it by giggling and changing into her pajama's and spelled her teeth clean. Patricia huffed and stomped her foot dramatically before she too got ready for bed, her two friends following her example. Soon the room was quiet except for the occasional sound of rustling blankets and heavy breathing.

Just another night at Hogwarts.

oOoOo

The one thing Anna hated about being her mother's daughter was the fact that she was cursed to be a morning person, whether she wanted to be one or not. So when she woke up that morning at six o'clock, she wasn't surprised, but she had hoped that _for once_ she could get the teenage curse and be able to sleep in. Groaning, she turned over in bed, hoping to fall back asleep, but to no avail. Now her mind was up, to remind her that she was all grungy from travel and needed desperately to take a shower. And of course, let's not forget her bladder, which was vying for her attention as well.

With a huge frown on her face, she left the cocoon of blankets to "shave, shit and shower" as her mother liked to say. She pushed back the red hangings around her bed and silently padded her way across the dorm room to the shared bathroom. With her bladder relieved and the water, if a bit weak with water pressure, beating down on her; she felt like a completely different person. Sighing she massaged some shampoo into her hair, happily smelling the coconut oil that was used.

'_I can't wait for classes,'_ she thought to herself, having always been one for school. _'I miss not learning anything new, especially Potions and Arithmancy. I don't understand why Lily and Louis hate the Professors, they're really nice.'_ Said Professors are Heero Yuy for Potions (and head of Slytherin house) and Sebastian Michaelis for Arithmancy. Both are extremely hard on those who don't live up to their standards (i.e. Lily and Louis) and tend to single out those who don't pay attention in class. Professor Yuy was the colder of the two, extremely meticulous and emotionless to everyone but those that manage to get past his defenses (i.e. Anna). Professor Michaelis was a gentleman and quite kind, but was a perfectionist when it comes to everything, if it's not perfect then don't even bother to show up to his class as he will ream you a new one. These qualities didn't defer them to the majority of the student population, but their methods managed to put Arithmancy and Potions at new standards internationally, making those that come out of Hogwarts gain the best jobs in those fields.

'_I wonder if Professor Arisa was able to make it to her best friends' wedding,'_ Anna wondered, thinking about her Transfiguration Professor. Professor Arisa Uotani was one of the coolest Professors in the school. Known for her rough and tumble attitude, the ability to get everyone into NEWT level Transfiguration without lowering any standards and her incredible beauty; she was the most liked Professor of the school along with Professor Thomas. Professor Arisa's from Japan and all her friends still live there, making commuting to visit hard. _'Well,'_ she thought absently, _'she'll probably tell me if she made it in the first class.'_

It might seem weird that Anna was so close to her professors, but back home the only people she could connect to at school had been her teachers. So she had followed the pattern to become friendly with her professors, even though she had managed to make really good friends during her first day. She can't say that she regretted it, as she knew that being the teacher's pet (horrible though that name was) had many benefits. Well that and the professors were just really cool.

A while later Anna, dressed in a shirt that declared "Put A Little Love in My Cauldron" and an old pair of jeans, sat in the common room near the fire reading her Potions text book and making notes in pencil on the side. Anna was one of those once in a life time prodigies when it came to magic, meaning she found most forms of magic extremely easy. She could easily create a new spell or alter a potion. Her greatest subjects were Arithmancy, Charms, and Potions, allowing her to do a great deal of different types of magic. Thus she was able to make subtle changes in the instructions on making a sleeping potion in her text book without making it first due to understanding the different reactions that happen between ingredients and actions. Though that may have come from knowing the bare basics of chemistry…This did not mean that she didn't study religiously when no one was watching or that she didn't practice as much as the next person. She had to push herself hard to keep her grades in her other courses, but she managed.

She continued to make annotations as someone came down the stairs, she stopped however when she felt the couch dip down and the pressure of something on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Lily, clad in a simple cotton shirt and tight jeans, in zombie mode. Zombie Lily was always hard to deal with, as she had a tendency to lean on anybody or anything available, and then promptly fall asleep. Knowing this and what they had planned to do today, Anna jerked her right shoulder.

Lily's head jerked up with the force of push, and opened her bleary eyes to glare at Anna.

"Oh, I'm just shaking in my boots." Anna mocked.

Lily's glare turned up a notch. "Shut up."

"Really clever, Loony." Anna smirked.

With a gasp, Lily woke up and slapped her best friends arm. "I told you not to call me that!"

"Shhh..." A sleepy Albus said. He had woken up around the same time Lily had and had decided to wait for Rose to come downstairs. He didn't notice who was in the common room, thus missing Rose coming down not ten seconds after him, instead he stumbled onto the couch next to Anna. He cuddled into her, savouring the warmth the person gave, and promptly began to fall asleep. He was never really in his right brain in the mornings.

'_Well now I know that falling asleep on people is a family trait,' _Anna blushed as Albus' arms wound around her and his head nuzzled into her shoulder. She was stock still, shocked of what he was doing. If it were Louis, Lily and Anna's other best friend, she would've been completely at ease. But it wasn't Louis, it was the now _sexy_ – and she does mean smexilicious, especially in those pants, hot damn – Albus who was cuddling into her.

"Oi!" Lily yelled at Albus in a way only sisters can, who opened his eyes to glare at her. His wasn't as good as Lily's, it was too cute."Get off my best friend! If I can't sleep on her, then neither can you!"

As she yelled these things at her brother, Albus' eyes slowly unfogged, and when he realized who he was hugging, he nearly fell to the ground. Embarrassed to have cuddled with Anna, he got up quickly and motioned to the amused Rose to follow him out of the common room. The two left with a silent swing of the portrait door.

Face smug, Lily proceeded to get up in a much slower fashion than Albus, and stretched in a way reminiscent of a cat. "Well, at least we got rid of that git."

Anna, still embarrassed, managed a snort. Her best friend was really strange sometimes, but she was helpful at times like these to rid her of embarrassment. "So..." Anna started, hoping to get the conversation away from Al. "Want to wake up Louis?"

Lily gave a smirk that would terrify Kronos, but was unable to do what she had been planning when Louis' unmistakable voice said from behind them, "Sorry girls, but I'm already up."

"Damn," Lily cursed under her breath, and Anna rolled her eyes with a small laugh.

"Well, come on you two lets go down to the Hall for brekkie and then we can go to explore the castle once more." Anna ordered the two, practically pushing them out of the common room, not noticing their humor of her choice of words.

oOoOo

"Hey guys," Anna greeted the two seventh years as she slid on to the bench beside Rose. She didn't notice Albus blush when she nodded to him.

"He-Hey Anna," Rose yawned widely. "S'your mornin'?" She mumbled incoherently. Obviously, Rose wasn't focusing on full thrusters yet.

Thankfully for Anna she had learned Mumble from Lily a couple years ago, "Oh, my morning is grand so far, what about yours?" She had a huge smile on her face as she piled her breakfast on her plate and dived in. '_Oh gods I was hungry.' _She thought as her stomach rumbled. '_Thank Zeus for the delicacy of perfectly toasted bread. Or was that some other god?'_

"S'Okay," Rose said softly back before she continued on her slow paced eating.

Anna took that as her cue to start eating, watching as both Louis and Lily copied her, taking some eggs, fruit, bacon and toast from the table. All three of them wanted to make sure that they wouldn't be tired or hungry for annual trip around the castle that they had started in first. In the beginning it was only to find the secret passage ways that Mr. Potter had told Lily about, but as they found more things to find, they decided that they should explore the castle twice a year; once in the beginning and the end of the year.

"Thank the gods it's Sunday today," Anna commented as she finished off her last piece of toast.

"Yeah, we get to have the whole day to explore, and sleep in." Lily said cheerfully as she finished up her breakfast as well. "Not that you know what that is, eh Anna?" She snickered as Anna shoved her, burning a hole into Louis' head when he laughed as well.

"Gah, let's just go already," Anna commanded, dragging Lily up from her spot and dragging her away, Louis following behind them. She only paused briefly to wave to Albus and Rose before they went on their way.

Anna, Lily and Louis had found many different secret passage ways, like one to a hidden library or the one that goes from the kitchens to the fields that the house elves take care of. Many people didn't know that there was even more secrets in castle, as many thought that they knew everything like the Marauders. However, when the trio had found the Planning Room With Too Many Names for Anyone to Say in a Sentence in first year that wasn't on the Marauders Map they realized that there was always more to find. So they spent the day peeking around corners, chatting up the House Elves, Ghosts, Portraits, and even the Poltergeist (he's actually quite nice once he stops trying to maul you). So far they had found a number of passage ways they hadn't found the year before, some working like an elevator from the dungeons to the seventh floor (with stops in between), or a slide, and the one passage way that ended in the Merpeople city (thankfully it was a dome which was see though).

By the time dinner rolled around the A.L.L trio was covered head to toe in dust with flushed cheeks and happy smiles. The three split up, Lily and Louis once again joining Reggie, Payton and Jeffery in a fierce debate about Quidditch tactics, while Anna sat next to Albus when he waved her over to join him and Rose.

"Hello again," Anna greeted them cheerfully while piling some food onto her plate. "Did you have a good day?"

Albus groaned and ran a hand through his hair, causing Anna to blush slightly when she noticed the now defined muscles in his arms. "No, we spent the day reviewing for our classes. I wouldn't bother if I actually remembered half the stuff I reviewed, but I don't, so I have to."

Anna giggled at the morose teen and patted his back sympathetically. "I don't understand, but its okay." She told the now happy Albus.

"Haha," he scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly, "thanks."

"So how was your day Anna?" Rose asked from across the table when it was clear Albus wasn't going to say anything more.

Anna's face lit up with joy, "Oh it was wonderful, and we found so many different passages today; though I think that Lily will never take the stairs ever again." She laughed a bit as she speared a piece of potato on her fork. "That and if you ever need a tutor in History of Magic just kip over to one of the portraits and they'll tell you a thing or two. I'm just thankful that we don't have a ghost for a teacher like your parents did or we'd all be failing and it would be so _boring_." Albus and Rose laughed at that. "Though if you listen to Lily Professor Umino isn't any better, as she still falls asleep in that class; I haven't any reason why." Anna added on as an afterthought.

Rose smirked at Albus before telling Anna, "I think that's more of a Potter thing, as Albus did the same thing when we were in History." Anna jerked her head to stare at Albus in surprise.

Albus blushed and stammered his denial, "Wh-what are you t-talking about, of c-course I d-didn't fall asleep in c-class." He shifted his eyes away from Anna who was now quite amused by the two cousins.

"Uh-huh, you tell yourself that," Rose said, still smirking up a storm. But, being a good friend she was she changed the subject, "Anna, when you said that Lily wouldn't be taking the stairs anymore, what did you mean?"

"What," Anna blinked in confusion before understanding spread across her face, "Oh, well, near the Gryffindor common room there is a magic elevator that goes all the way to the dungeons." She turned to continue eating her dinner, '_I love chicken.'_

She missed the thoughtful faces of the older Gryffindors as they tried to remember what an elevator was. Thankfully they had top marks in their Muggle Studies class and realized what that meant. Albus and Rose were soon smiling like maniacs at the thought of not having to walk down seven flights of stairs just to go to breakfast every day.

When Anna had finished her plate she turned to find two very expectant faces shining with hoping staring back at her. '_I should've known that they would be the same, they are related.' _"I'll show you when we head back to the common room…" She trailed off at the end due to the two cousins having already jumped up and was motioning her to follow them. She sighed and followed them; all the while muttering about lazy Weasleys and that she should've kept her mouth shut.

* * *

_Word Count: 7,940_

* * *

1 The pact states that she acts like a mundane or muggle during the summer, meaning no magic except for school work as Canada does not have the same underage magic rules.


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I am the creator of Anna and my other OC's. I make no money, so don't sue me! I also have no rights to characters used from Fruits Basket, Gundam Wing A/C and Black Butler._

* * *

"Blah blah blah" – Talking

'_Blah blah blah' _– Thinking

**~Blah blah blah~** – Mind Link

* * *

**Chapter 2:**

"WAKE UP!" Anna yelled at her best friend for life, and current zombie, Lily. She really liked having to wake up her friend in the morning. It was a win-win situation for her. As, wait for it...

"SHUT UP HALL!" A screech sounded from across the room. Anna snickered quietly as she saw Smith throw back her crimson curtains, and glare at her. Her normally perfect gold hair was caught in tangles, and her face was bare of any make up. To say that she wasn't at her best was an understatement.

Anna smiled at the angry girl, "Oh shush Smith, you know you wouldn't have enough time to do your makeup and hair if it weren't for me."

The glare she received would've made even the bravest Gryffindor cower, but not Anna. She had been getting the same glare every morning for the past four years, and it made her all warm and fuzzy to know that she was able to irk the other girl.

"Oh, is it time now?" The sleepy, innocent voice of Goldstein asked as the girl slowly pulled back the curtain. She had fared much better than the leader of her posse as her face was naturally pretty, and her hair was pulled back into the French braid that she had done the night before, just like she always did.

'_We really are all too predictable,'_ Anna thought with a frown, but shrugged it off as she heard the muffled curses coming from the bed of Belby and the eventually soft snores as she drifted off back to sleep. '_At least I know what to expect in the mornings.'_

With that thought she turned to her still sleeping friend. Her flame red hair was cast out on the pillow and her small form curled into a ball. She looked very fragile and small in that moment, like she always did and Anna thought that she needed these moments every morning to remember that her best friend was breakable; just like everyone else.

"If you don't get up you won't get any treacle tart for the next week," She said softly, causing the fiery girl to jump up out of bed like a shot of a pistol.

"I'm up. I'm up," Lily said loudly, before rushing through her morning routine. Anna always wondered why Lily only ever woke up if she yelled at her and then threatened her like the lack of treacle tart, yet she can't just threaten the lack of tart, doesn't really make sense. Then again, this is Loony Lily.

Shaking her head at her roommates, she walked down to the common room to wait for her friends. As always she had exercised – by going to the room of requirement and asking for a gym – gotten ready and dressed by 6:30, as The Barbies needed at least an hour to get ready, and Lily always needed the extra time to truly wake up. Even though she could instantly wake up by the sound of her and her dad's favourite sweet, she tended to fall asleep in the shower until Belby would run in and demand to know what was taking her so long. Shaking her head fondly she sat on the couch in front of the fire. She pulled out her transfiguration text book and began reading on Vanishing Spells on Invertebrates.

She didn't know how much time had passed when a weight flopped down next to her and wrap an arm around her shoulder. "Hey Annie," Louis said. Anna looked over at her friend, and saw that he had dark circles under his eyes and that his brown hair was still damp. She snuggled into him, and smelt his fresh, clean scent and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments. "How long've you been waiting for?"

"Dunno," she mumbled into his chest. "I reading about Vanishing Spells, it's very fascinating."

He let out a soft chuckle. "Only you," he said with a hint of amusement.

She sat up, unwillingly but wanting to see his face. "Nuh-uh," She said with a shake of her head.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"NO!" She said in frustration. _ 'Why does he have to be so darn stubborn?'_

"No."

"Yes."

Louis broke into a large grin, "See, you agree with me." Anna looked confused for a second, wondering just exactly what happened, and then glared at him when she finally clued in. "Awe, was that really so hard?"

Anna pushed herself up off the couch and folded her arms around her transfiguration text. "Yes," she huffed. Then she saw Lily coming down the stairs, in Zombie mode again, and stomped to the portrait, making sure to grab her weightless bag on the way out. "Because of that Louis William Finnegan, YOU have to deal with Lily!"

As she exited the Gryffindor common room, she could hear Louis swear colourfully and allowed herself a small smile. '_Okay maybe not too predictable.'_

oOoOo

Unknown to the two friends, a certain female plastic copy had been watching them. She had seen the easy arm over the shoulder, the soft look Anna had thrown to Louis and the cuddle they shared in front of the fire. Patricia had hated the members of A.L.L since the first day on the train and had been trying to get something on them, be it a prank or a bad rumor. So far nothing she did had worked, but maybe his year. However, she knew that Meaghan was currently pining over Louis, making him off limits. Meaghan wanted him and she knew he wanted her, how could he not after... well, it wasn't her place to think that.

'_How dare that slag try to steal her best friends crush! And knowing Anna she probably knows about it.' _Patricia scowled at the couple and decided that she didn't need to watch them anymore – '_no need to see someone snog if you don't need to.'_

She walked down to the Great Hall quickly and sat down at the table, eating her measly breakfast, thinking quickly of the best way to handle the situation, when she saw the topic of her thoughts walk into the hall... _alone_. She cocked an eyebrow at the girl as she sat alone for a while before she was joined the Slytherin Weasley. She watched as the two flirted together and couldn't help but think, '_Well aren't you a two timing bitch.'_

oOoOo

Anna had walked quickly down the seven flights of stairs, reaching the Great Hall in record time. She dolled herself out some porridge, sprinkling some brown sugar on to it, and started her breakfast transfiguration text open in front of her. She was half way through her breakfast when she noticed Hugo walk up to her.

"Hey Hugh," she smiled at the Slytherin boy.

"Hey Anne, have a good day yesterday?" He asked, returning her smile as he looked down at her.

"Yes, we found so much stuff yesterday, including a bloody elevator, so don't be surprised if you never see you cousins taking the… oh not you too!" Anna glared at the curly hair boy as he looked at her hopefully.

"Ah, please Anne, I'm in the dungeons, it's as bad as being in a tower like you guys," Hugo begged, his brown eyes pleading her to understand.

"Gods, I swear I'm the only one here that cares about being healthy, honestly," Anna mumbled under her breath, but sighed and gave in. "Yes, I will show you after dinner okay?"

Hugo smirked at her, and bid her farewell, she knew he left because she would be too annoyed to talk to him for a while; one of the perks of having a mental bond. When Hugo left she went back to her breakfast and textbook becoming entranced in the complexities of the vanishing spell.

Ten minutes later her friends arrived and she laughed as Zombie Lily and a bemoaned Louis came into the hall. Lou was practically dragging Lily into the room as she kept on trying to lean on him. "Looks like you're having a blast, Lou."

"Oh ha bloody ha," Louis muttered darkly, before placing Lily beside himself across the table from Anna. He pointed at her with a glare, "You are despicable."

Anna put upon an air of innocence, "Oh, me?" She asked, placing a hand on a chest while she put a shocked expression on her face, "What have I ever done to you?"

Louis began to open his mouth to shout a retort when Anna cut him off. "Never mind, don't answer that."

Louis rolled his eyes, but settled down to eat a full English breakfast, giving Lily the same which she ate mechanically.

"Hey guys," they heard a voice call, and turned to watch Rose and Albus walk up to them. They sat down next to Anna and helped themselves to some breakfast. "So, you guys prepared for classes today?" Rose asked amused and Anna noticed Albus tried to discreetly stare at her. _'Do I have something on my face or what?' _She wondered, but made no move to let him know that she noticed him stare.

Louis and Lily, who were finally waking up, both shook their heads, but Anna nodded. "Yeah, I can't wait for classes to begin!"

Albus smiled at her, "You do know that you're probably the only Gryffindor that does right?"

Anna laughed and nodded, "Yeah, I don't doubt that. The only people that probably like school as much as I do are Ravenclaws, which makes sense since I was almost one."

The four others blinked, "Really you were almost a Ravenclaw?" Lily asked her best friend, now fully awake. Her eyes were wide with surprise and a piece of bacon fell from frozen fingertips.

Anna frowned at them, "Yeah, I was." She was slightly confused at their reactions, "Didn't I tell you guys that? I'm sure I did."

Louis shook his head at her, "No, you didn't. If you had we," here he motioned to Lily and himself, "Would've used it as joke material at some point."

"Hmm… Good point. Well, you know now," She said, knowing that they would probably poke fun at her admittedly Ravenclaw habits.

"At least we know why you like studying so much," Louis started.

"And why you do so well in class," Lily continued.

"Why Professor Michaelis likes you."

"And Professor Yuy."

"And how you're able to change spells."

"And…"

Anna butted in before they started to say even more, as some of the other Gryffindors that had made it into the Hall were beginning to stare, "I think that everyone's got the point already guys."

Professor Thomas, who had been walking up the table handing out schedules, just shook his head and laughed at the trio, remembering the Golden Trio of his Hogwarts school years. He handed them their schedules, before he continued down the table.

Lily smiled brightly as she looked at her schedule, Louis joining her not a minute later. "Ha, we get so many study periods! So much time to nap and laze off…"

She trailed off as she saw the pitying looks Albus and Rose sported. "Sorry cuz, but those study periods will be filled with homework and studying. There's barely anytime for yourself." Rose told her with a bittersweet smile.

Albus added more to her statement, "If we could do as you said sis, then me and Rose would have even more time to ourselves, but the teachers really put the pressure down on you, especially Profs Yuy and Michaelis, but even Flitwick and Arisa give a lot of homework."

Both Lily and Louis looked like they were going to cry, but Anna was quite happy. She loved a challenge, and she enjoyed that the teachers would be giving her more homework. Her schedule was pretty lax, like Lily had said, so she knew she would have to time to complete it all.

Her schedule looked like this:

oOoOo

**Anna Hall, OWL Student**

**Class Schedule:**

**Monday:**

_8:00am-8:50am:_ Study

_9:00am-9:50am:_ Transfiguration, Arisa Uotani

_10:00am-11:40am: _Double History of Magic, Iruka Umino (Head of Hufflepuff)

_11:50am-12:50pm: _Lunch

_1:00pm-2:50pm:_ Double Potions, Heero Yuy (Head of Slytherin)

**Tuesday:**

_8:00am-9:40am: _Double Transfiguration, Arisa Uotani

_9:50am-10:40am:_ Herbology, Neville Longbottom

_10:50am-11:40am:_ Defense Against Dark Arts, Dean Thomas (Head of Gryffindor)

_11:50am-12:50pm: _Lunch

_1:00pm-1:50pm: _Charms, Fillius Flitwick (Head of Ravenclaw)

_2:00pm-2:50pm:_ Arithmancy, Sebastian Michaelis

**Wednesday:**

_8:00am-8:50am:_ Care of Magical Creatures, Rubeus Hagrid

_9:00am-10:40am:_ Double Herbology, Neville Longbottom

_10:50am-11:40am: _Potions, Heero Yuy (Head of Slytherin)

_11:50am-12:50pm: _Lunch

_1:00pm-2:50pm: _Double Study

**Thursday:**

_8:10am-9:50am: _Double Charms, Fillius Flitwick (Head of Ravenclaw)

_10:00am-11:40am:_ Double Defense Against Dark Arts, Dean Thomas (Head of Gryffindor)

_11:50am-12:50pm: _Lunch

_1:00pm-1:50pm:_ History of Magic, Iruka Umino (Head of Hufflepuff)

_2:00pm-2:50pm:_ Wizard Studies, Deepe Gill

**Friday:**

_8:00am-9:40am:_ Double Care of Magic Creatures, Rubeus Hagrid

_10:00am-11:40am: _Double Arithmancy, Sebastian Michaelis

_11:50am-12:50pm: _Lunch

_11:00pm-1:00am: _Astronomy, Connor Adair

oOoOo

She knew that her two friends had a very similar schedule to hers, except they had both had Muggle Studies, instead of Wizard Studies, with Professor Harman Singh. She was slightly disappointed that she had to what a whole fifty minutes before class could start, but decided that it wasn't worth the teasing to complain about it.

Sighing, she saw Lily and Louis had left while she had been inspecting her schedule. Blinking, she turned to the two seventh years and asked, "When did they leave?"

"Just a couple seconds ago," Albus told her with a smile that she couldn't help but smile back to. "They said something about forgetting their bags."

'_Ah, that makes sense,' _she thought and gave a thankful nod to Albus. "So do you guys have class soon?"

"Yes," Rose answered for the two of them when it seemed like Albus was going to say no. "We should probably be leaving soon, as we have charms class."

"Huh, I didn't know that," Albus muttered under his breath, and he looked through his bag to make sure he had everything he needed for charms. "Yeah, we better get going," He told Anna regretfully, and she smiled at him in understanding.

"No worries, you guys go ahead to class, maybe use the elevator again," She suggested and got two mischievous faces in return.

"Sounds like a plan," Rose chirped as the two left her alone at the table.

oOoOo

Fifty minutes later, Anna and her two friends entered the Transfiguration classroom, Professor Arisa greeting Anna happily when she walked through the door. Louis and Lily just shook their heads in exasperation and went to save seats for the three of them while Anna talked to the teacher.

"Hey Prof Arisa, did you have a good summer?" Anna asked her teacher politely.

"Yeah, it was fun. Gotta see Tohru again, even if she's with that idiot Kyo. Stupid cat was almost late for his wedding if you can believe that," Professor Arisa told Anna in her drawling voice. She was only in her mid twenties with straight blonde hair and extremely thin eyebrows. She had told Anna that she had once been in a gang when she was younger before she met her idol, Kyoko, who happened to be Tohru's mother. When Kyoko had died Arisa had taken it upon herself to look after Tohru and had always been judgemental of the girls' boyfriend, now husband, Kyo.

Anna stifled a small laugh, "If from what you've told me about him is true, then no, I'm not completely surprised."

"Heh," Prof Arisa laughed, "Yeah, I probably haven't given the greatest description of him, but he still keeps on fighting with Yuki even after all these years, so I can't really vouch for his greatness," She said the last bit with a good portion of sarcasm. The bell rang just after that, and she motioned for Anna to take her seat so she can begin class.

Once everyone was seated, Anna smiling gratefully at Louis and Lily, Professor Arisa began, "So class, this is your OWL year and I'm supposed to sit here and lecture you on how you're supposed to study hard and all that. Well I'm not." That got some appreciative claps and whoops from many in the class. "However," She began once the class had quieted down, "I do expect you to do your best, as I will not mark you any easier just because you decided to slack off…" She stared down the class, especially those who were known for slacking off (*cough* Lily and Louis *cough*), causing many of the students to squirm in their seats before starting that days lesson. "Remember to hand in your summer homework as you exit class. For today we will review what we have covered the past four years…" Groans were heard, and everybody shuffled papers, taking out quills, pens, parchment and notebooks to take notes. Only Anna knew that their Professor took vindictive glee out of their suffering, but wasn't stupid enough to tell anyone as she jotted down some notes.

oOoOo

After nearly an hour of review the trio exited Transfiguration and made their way to History of Magic.

"Merlin, that was so boring," Lily complained shaking her hand out, "My hand cramped up half way through, and stop laughing Anna, you use pens and they don't hurt as much."

Anna had indeed been laughing at her friends misfortune as Hogwarts now allowed students to use ball point pens, pencils and paper for note taking, and fountain pens for essays. Even during the O.W.L's there was an option of pens and quills to use, or at least that was what the older years had mentioned.

"I don't blame her for laughing," Louis interjected even though he had also been using a quill. "We did have the option to get pens, but decided to get quills because they were familiar to us."

Lily huffed and glared at him, "Stop poking logic shaped holes in my perfectly illogical reasoning!"

Louis and Anna shared a glance, before they started snickering at the fuming Lily. Her face was as red as her hair and she was hunched over, making herself look even smaller in her bulky Hogwarts robe.

"It's not funny!" She yelled at the two. They looked at her incredulously and she had to concede, "Okay, maybe it is." She looked around for something to change the subject, and noticed that they were at the History of Magic classroom. "Hey guys we're here!" Lily had never been so happy to be in class before as the trio entered the lecture hall styled class, Anna waving happily at their teacher.

"Good morning Professor Umino," Anna called to their teacher from her seat in the front row, both of her friends having ditched her to sit in the back.

"Yes, good morning Miss Hall, did you enjoy your holidays?" Professor Iruka Umino, a mild mannered man with a tendency to throw chalk at sleeping students, asked politely.

"Oh, I did. It was good to see my parents again. Did you enjoy yourself?" Anna knew the man didn't have any blood family left, but still visited his hometown every summer to see some of his ex-students and friends.

"Yes, I certainly did, though I had to spend most of my salary on ramen for one of my old students. He wasn't a good student, but he was my favourite," He gave an embarrassed laugh as he scratched the bridge of his nose where a large scar went across.

Anna laughed with him and added, "Seems like my kind of guy to be honest. Especially if he likes ramen, it's food of the gods."

She day dreamed a little bit about one of her favourite foods next to homemade fried chicken, chocolate, homemade bread and her auntie Bev's hot cross buns. She almost began to drool, but was shaken out of her food fuelled coma by Professor Umino's mutters of, "Not another one." Anna wondered what he meant, but couldn't ask as Catie and Kyle Cuthbert sat on either side of her.

"Hey Anna," Catie started, her voice as perky as she is.

"Long time," Kyle, Catie's twin, continued in a more subdued tone to his sisters.

"No see." Catie finished with a wide smile as she set her notebook on her desk.

"Yeah, yeah, stop it with the twin speak. I know you guys only do it to annoy people," Anna said irritably as she rolled her eyes at their antics.

"If it works, it works," Kyle stated smartly, chuckling at her expense, before he asked, "Did you do anything fun after we visited?"

The blonde twins had visited her in July, as they lived only a couple hours away from her in Washington State. They were American Purebloods and thus were better integrated into muggle culture than their British counterparts. However, instead of going to Salem like they had originally planned, they went to Hogwarts on their fathers' command so that the American Magical government could learn the difference between their schooling. This means that she actually can hang out with at least some of her friends over the summer. Together they had gone bungee jumping in Whistler, hiking and basically had a blast together for the two weeks they had visited her.

"Nah, I just hung out with my parents for the rest of it." She told the two and they smiled, knowing how much her parents meant to her. They were stopped from asking anymore questions when Professor Umino called for attention.

"Excuse me class," Professor Umino called, but only a select few heard him as the rest were laughing and chatting loudly, some were standing and sitting on desks not paying attention to anything but their conversations. "Excuse me!" Professor Umino tried again, and when nobody who wasn't already silent did anything, the students who had listened plugged their ears. Not a moment too soon as, "**SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN MAGGOTS OR I'LL HAVE YOU SCRUBING TOILETS FOR THE REST OF YOUR SCHOOL CAREER!**" Professor Umino yelled putting the fear of Kronos into all the rowdy students who were so quickly in their seats that one could've sworn they apparated.

"Thank you," he said politely and gave a sweet smile, causing many of the terrified students to wonder if he wasn't bipolar or something. "Now, I welcome you to your fifth year of History of Magic. I hope that each of you will enjoy this class, and will get good grades on your O.W.L's. Now I'm sure many of you have heard from your other teachers or older students, but this year you will be bogged down in homework. This does not mean that I will allow you to slack off in this class MISS POTTER!" He yelled as he hurled a piece of chalk at the now awake Lily, who squeaked and ducked away from the flying chalk. He summoned it silently back to him as he returned to his lecture, "I expect each and every one of you to do your best and to pass this class and this year. Without it you will not do well in the wizarding world, and I have no intention of watching you seel yourselves off strangers in Knockturn Alley, high off some new experimental potion just because you were too lazy. I also expect that all of you have done your summer homework and not left it to the last minute, I will notice this, or I will take off 30 marks out of fifty from your assignment." Many students were wide eyed at his speech and he smiled happily at putting fear into his students once again.

"Now, I will begin with a review of what we have covered over the past four years starting with the pre-Founder's Era, now who can tell me…"

oOoOo

Lunch was an interesting affair as students from History of Magic class were shuffling in like zombies, most of them having gone into a near comatose state ten minutes into the lecture, much to the amusement of Anna, who was always alert during the class, no matter how boring the lecture or how much she wished to sleep. She plopped down across from Albus as the other two sat on either side of her, going through the motions of eating lunch while not being fully awake.

"Hey Al," She greeted cheerfully. "Where's Rose?"

"Hi Anna, and Rose is in the library," Albus told her cheerfully. Anna wondered if he had a good class if he was that energetic. "History of Magic?" He asked in reference to their comatose state.

"Yeah, I understand that review is boring, but don't understand why they're like that though." Anna said with a frown, and Albus laughed a little.

"I'd advise not to try and figure out, it's not worth it," He said, smirking a little at his little sister. He looked thankful that he had dropped that class if the pitying look in his eye meant anything.

"If you say so," Anna said doubtfully, but dropped the subject as she ate her lunch. A half hour later, with Albus having gone searching for Rose and Anna already finished the outline for the History of Magic essay that was due in two weeks, Lily and Louis came out of their comatose state enough to talk again.

"So did we miss anything important?" Louis asked as he sipped his pumpkin juice, Lily had her head resting on his shoulder.

"We started the First Great Wizarding War and we have an essay assigned due in two weeks," Anna told them dutifully as she put her textbook and notes back in her bag. "And we have Potions in ten minutes," She said with a smile.

The two groaned as she mentioned Potions and she frowned disapproving at the two. "What's wrong with Potions?" The others in the Hall could feel the pressure of angry magic in the air.

Both Lily and Louis choked before squeaking out, "Nothing!" Just as quickly as it had come, the pressure was gone before any of the teachers noticed where it had been coming from.

"Good," Anna said in satisfaction, knowing that they hated the class, but was willing to make sure they didn't complain about it. "Now shall we go to the dungeons then?"

"Ma'am, yes ma'am," She heard them mutter and sputtered out a laugh as she walked away.

They had Potions this year with the Ravenclaws, was the first thing Anna noticed as she saw Alec Corner with his hand inside some Ravenclaw girls' robe. '_He looks bored_,' Anna thought, _'I know most guys would pay to be in his position, but it's so normal to him it's boring.' _Anna wasn't entirely sure if she should feel pity or disgust. She eventually decided on disgust by the time their teacher opened the door, if only because he had tried to maneuver her into a broom closet last year.

"In," Professor Yuy ordered the class in his distinct monotone. His face was blank as he stared dispassionately at the students shuffling into the potions lab, it only changed to a slightly warm look as he nodded to Anna as she smiled at him.

"Hand in your work," Professor Yuy told the class shortly as the class settled in. Everyone rushed to comply with his order, and soon the class was seated once more. "It's your O.W.L year and I do not care if you pass or fail. You will show up to class, you will be quiet and you will pay attention. Failure to comply is not an option. Clear?" Here everyone nodded, all terrified of what the man would do to them if they didn't. There were many rumors spreading around about the man, one in particular that he jumped out of a thirty story window without a parachute and another where he set his own broken leg after ignoring it for a whole week; the way he acted didn't disprove any of these rumors. "Now begin the Wit Sharpening Potion, the instructions are on the board and ingredients in the supply cupboard. I expect that you all know how to do this potion. Begin."

It was a gruelling and nearly silent two hours for the students, though thankfully no one blew up any potions under Professor Yuy's steady gaze. Most everyone, but a few Ravenclaws and Anna, were happy to finally be finished the class and nearly cried in relief when the bell rang.

It was just another day at Hogwarts.

* * *

_Word Count: 4,741_


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